A Choice
by bexie25
Summary: The bond between human Bella and vampire Edward is rare in mated vampire couples. Both fiercely possessive of each other, their connection grows and they learn more about it as they unknowingly head toward a frightening sequence of connected events. Is their connection strong enough to withstand it? Or will they crumble? It all depends on a choice that begins their story.
1. Soulmate

**Hello All**

**So, I've been battling some serious writers block. Many things have flown into and out of my mind, but this one stuck with me. Soon enough, I had the basis of a story...**

**So here I am, with a new story for you all to - hopefully - enjoy. I've got some good plans for this one - including bitchy Tan-whore-ya and the petty Jessica Stanley and Michael Newton, alongside Lauren Mallory, Jess' sidekick.**

**So, let's get this story on the road, shall we?**

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

***AN 22/2/2013 - I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry.***

* * *

><p>"You have to choose, Bella," they'd both said countless times before. This time, it was Jacob. "Me or him; you can't have both. Whose death would hurt you the most?"<p>

I flinched as Edward growled. His eyes were onyx with anger as he glared at Jacob. He obviously hated the pressure Jacob was putting on me. I smiled reassuringly at him, and his gaze softened completely and instantly.

That never happened with Jacob. He was always still angry when I did that. In fact, I think it angered him even more. Well, there was one point.

I stood there, thinking.

While Jacob's death certainly didn't appeal to me, just the mere thought of Edward dying… it _crushed_ me. Another good point, it seemed.

I looked at both of the hopeful, clueless men (clueless because they both had no idea what I was thinking), first at Jacob and then Edward. My gaze lingered on both as I tried to figure out who was more attractive to me.

I mean… seriously. How else was I supposed to figure out who was my mate or imprint? Or, rather, my mate or imprint_er_. Jacob the werewolf against Edward the vampire; the fact that they were mortal enemies and were both fighting over me was kinda funny.

'Cause, you see, as a vampire, _Edward_ was supposed to _hunt_ me. And, as a werewolf, _Jacob_ was supposed to _protect_ me.

To continue with the former train of thought, just looking at Edward did things to me. I licked my now dry lips and I swear I heard Edward gasp then moan. So, there was yet another point towards Edward.

But still, if I was being honest with myself… I felt most protected and safe when I was with Edward. Another, final, point for Edward.

That made my decision for me.

I gasped, tears springing into my eyes. My head snapped up and my gaze locked on Edward. Looking into his eyes, I said one word.

"You." It was more of a whisper really, and I knew that no human would have been able to hear me if they were standing where Edward was. My breath hitched, the tears flowing relentlessly down my face now.

But Edward definitely heard me.

He was over to me in a flash, the hope in his eyes bursting into something else. Something more.

He gathered me in his arms, and the tell-tale electricity flooded through Edward and me. It pulled us toward each other, like magnets.

And now that I knew what that electricity stood for, what it meant… I realized how _right _this felt.

"Mine," he said, mesmerized. The word made sense to me, of course, because vampires were very protective and possessive—among other things—of their mates. It felt right; just as so many other things did when it came to Edward. He traced my lips, then my whole face before leaning in and kissing me on that sweet spot behind my ear. I gasped slightly and he peppered my face with kisses, complete little nips and flicking licks along my jaw and ears.

He was marking me with his scent. And that was just _so_ fucking sexy.

Arousal flooded through me and down to my panties and I gasped again.

Edward growled and pulled back then, simply looking at me, having smelt it. _It_, being my arousal.

Company forgotten, I said the only words that I knew were true. "I love you and yes, I am yours."

He smiled and I knew he would be crying if he could. It made me just a little sad to realize that it would never come… but I couldn't care right at this moment. My mate, my love had been waiting for me for a hundred years. And we were finally here. Together; we always would be.

"As I am yours, my love and, of course, I love you too," he said and I smiled, leaning up on my tippy toes and pursing my lips.

He knew what I wanted immediately and he purred in _obvious _delight.

He smashed his lips to mine in a passionate, heated and fucking downright _possessive _kiss. I moaned as he pulled me tightly against his body, leaving no space between us.

Only the small "ahem" broke us apart.

I sighed when we did, leaning into his embrace. I turned to look at Jacob.

"Jacob," I said but he cut me off.

"It's ok," he said, and I was surprised to see him smiling. It was grim, but it was a smile nonetheless. "Seeing the two of you together… I get it."

And with that, he turned and walked away.

For whatever reason, I didn't even shed a tear at the fact that that was probably the last time I would see him.

Instead, I turned back to Edward with a suggestive smile. He took it in and groaned, pulling me back to him.

"You're really going to be the death of me, aren't you?" he asked, but I knew the question was rhetorical. So, instead of answering, I let my suggestive smile grow.

Yeah, he groaned again and I felt his… length against me.

I gasped at the size and the feel of it. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before. Somehow, even hard as steel, it was the softest part of his body.

And my man was fucking big. And thick.

But there really was no surprise there.

My hips rocked forward of their own volition and we gasped at the new sensations and feelings that flowed through us.

Edward grabbed my hips, holding them away from his body. I looked up, hurt and confused, but he smiled his dazzling, crooked smile at me.

"Come with me," he said and, with that said, he grabbed me and half-threw me on his back. "Hold on, my love."

I locked my arms and legs around his stony form, smiling against his shoulder.

Fuck, this felt so right. I couldn't believe I'd nearly left my true soul-mate for Jacob.

The agony that gripped me then as I thought of the pain that Edward must have felt made me cry out.

Edward's arms flashed out, spinning my body around to his front. My limbs were still locked around him, but we were now face to face.

"Love?" he whispered, panicking slightly as he took my face in his hands. "Love, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," I said, chanting those two words over and over as I buried my face in the crook of Edward's neck.

"What?" my love said, still slightly confused, since he couldn't read my mind. "What has you so distressed?"

"I caused you pain," I said, whimpering at the thought. The image stuck in my head. "All these weeks—these months—I didn't know you were truly supposed to be mine. I nearly left you for Jacob—the pain you must have felt—_god_, I'm so sorry, Edward."

My voice broke here and there as I spoke between sobs, shivering and shaking with the grief and guilt I felt.

Edward growled, crushing my flushed form to his. "Don't be ridiculous," he said and I opened my mouth to say something, but he cut me off. "I admit, it did hurt—seeing you with him—but, love, you don't know how absolutely _amazing _it was to have to choose me. And to hear you say that you love me so completely… I can't tell you how that makes me feel."

I smiled, his words having calmed me significantly. I leaned in and trailed my lips up to his ear, kissing behind it, eliciting a moan before I spoke softly in his ear. "I love you and only you."

He purred in my ear, before relaying my actions and words exactly.

"Come, love," he said, tugging on my hand again. I looked up at him questioningly. He noticed, of course, and smiled at me. "Before I make love to you, my beautiful mate, I want to introduce to my… _our _family."

When he said 'our family,' he got all choked up and I smiled at him. The tears were still flowing, so it was a really watery smile.

"I'd love to meet our family, my love," I said and he threw me on his back. He ran us out of the forest and away from the Quileute boundary line.

I smiled into his shoulder, breathing his scent in.

Yeah, _this _is where I belong. Right here, in my Edward's arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, lemons will be coming; maybe not in the next chapter, but definitely the one after that.<strong>

**I hope you stay for that, because this story is definitely going to be fun!**

**Please review,**

**bexie25**


	2. Our Family

**Hello All**

**So, this chapter has got to be the most lemony chapter I've ever written for any story, twilight fanfiction or not. It's a lot of desire and beating it off. Mentioning jumping Edward and the usual.**

**I hope you like it and it's satisfactory. Since this is the first story I've done that is somewhat like the original twilight series, I've included older style of language for Edward. It isn't too hard to understand, though. Thank god.**

***Smiles***

**Now, please enjoy reading it and review it!**

***AN 23/2/2013: I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American as well as some of Edward's dialogue. Nothing major, just making it more formal and realistic, I suppose you could say. More mature. Finally, please note that the title of this chapter has been changed to Our Family. Whilst they do face temptations and distractions, most of it is Bella meeting their family. :)***

* * *

><p>We stopped and I looked up from Edward's shoulder.<p>

What I saw made me gasp. It was beautiful; their house was beautiful.

Though we were standing a fair distance away, I could see most of the details of their house, except perhaps the finer ones.

I knew we'd come to the back of the house, because this whole side of the house was glass walls.

Every room that I could see was beautiful and I looked up at Edward with a smile on my face.

"It's beautiful, Edward," I said in an awed whisper. "Really, it's amazing."

He smiled pleasantly, happy that I liked it. "Love, can we talk about something after I introduce you to my parents and… _siblings_?"

I smiled, my eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Ok," I said, slowly, eying him to see what he was talking about.

Of course, it didn't work. Much to my disappointment.

"Fear not, love," Edward said softly and my head snapped back up to look at him. His golden liquid eyes were smoldering and I found myself slipping into a dazzled haze. I snapped myself out of it to listen to the rest of what he was saying. The only way I could do that was to look down and take a deep breath.

"It's really not fair, y'know," I mumbled as I looked down.

"What's not fair, my love?" Edward said and I smiled at the endearment. I loved that he called me _his_.

"You. Dazzling me," I said simply, looking up in time to see his confusion. I snorted. "Seriously? Oh my god, you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

He raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

"Do you seriously think that everyone has it as easily as you do?" I asked, amazed that he was so clueless. "Do you think everyone gets their way so easily?"

"I dazzled people?" Edward asked, ignoring my questions. "I dazzled _you_?"

"Yes, all the fucking time," I said and I looked down again.

He groaned and I looked up, my brow scrunching up in confusion. "What?"

"You and your swearing are definitely going to be the death of me," he said and I smiled.

"So you like it when I swear?" I said and the corners of my lips curved upwards. "Wow, who would've thought that a hundred-year-old vampire, like yourself, would like to hear their mate say the word _fuck_."

He groaned, growled and then pulled me against his body. He rubbed his erection against me, letting me feel every ridge of him. I moaned and bucked my hips.

I wrenched myself from his arms and spoke through my panting. "You know… we _really_… need to… take care of… this… _situation_… soon."

"I know, love," he said softly and I licked my lips. "I will make love to you as soon as you have met our family. If you're amenable with that, of course." He said the last part without looking at me.

He was embarrassed. "Thank you, Edward, and I am _amenable_to that. But I do have a question…" I trailed off, blushing.

Shit, fucking blush.

"What is it?" he asked, caressing my cheek. His touch left trail of fire on my skin, despite the cold temperature. "Why are you blushing?"

"Um," I said, still hesitant and somewhat embarrassed. "Why is the need so great? I mean, why am I fighting the need to jump you?"

He growled at my lustful words, his eyes going from a dark topaz to pitch black in a second.

I think I moaned.

"Edward," I moaned and I stepped forward into his arms. "Please just answer the question."

Yeah, I was panting again. But I wasn't the only one…

"Because, love," Edward said, trying as hard as he could to answer my question. I whimpered when I felt his ever so hard length against me. But he continued and I made myself focus on his _words_rather than his _body_. "The need to mate—to possess and mark one's mate—is primal. It is within that first mating that the pair become _true_mates. The need gets worse and worse until the pair actually feels physical pain. It is then that the animalistic side of a vampire comes out. For both, actually, and so that is why newly matched mates tend to mate on meeting. The closer to the admission of claim, the gentler and better the experience is for both."

I shuddered, before stuttering, "So… you will be… erect… and getting harder and harder until we make love?" He nodded, somewhat amused. "But… but… won't it, I dunno… break off or something?"

He laughed a hearty, real laugh and I giggled. "No, my love. It won't. But it _will_get painful."

I whimpered when he said the word 'painful' and his length unintentionally nudged me, twitching.

"Jesus." I whimpered again as it continued twitching right where I needed it. "It's persistent, isn't it?"

He chuckled huskily and I moaned again at the sound. "You could say that."

"Yeah," I whined. "Well, I think we need to refrain from the touching. It only makes it worse, it seems." I hated myself for saying that but, if I didn't stop soon, I was going to fucking jump him.

I swear it.

I pulled away from Edward and he let me after a moment or two. "Alrighty," I said and I breathed deeply. "Let's get in there" —I pointed to the house— "and meet the family. Oh and I want you to meet my dad."

He looked at me, smiling radiantly yet a little confused. "I've already met him, my dear."

I blushed at that, _his dear_. "Yeah, but not as my boyfriend you haven't."

His smile grew but he continued to just look at me. Lovingly, as always.

"Are all mates like you?" I asked him and he looked a little concerned. I wanted to wipe that frown off his face, so I continued. "You're amazing, Edward; you're loving, generous, sweet and caring, and so fucking protective."

I heard the small groan but remained composure.

"And so much more," I said, reaching up to stroke his cheek. He leaned into my touch and purred happily. "But are any of them… I dunno… mean to their mates or uncaring or something?"

He took in a deep breath, a pained look coming across his face. "There are a few… that have been known to treat their mates terribly. They were incorrigible brutes—all males—and they disregarded their mates, not allowing them to hunt. The females weakened severely until their mates eventually had to put a stop to their pain."

I shuddered, thankful that Edward wasn't like that.

I looked back at him, only to see that he looked… heartbroken.

"What is it?" I whispered, leaning into him to comfort him.

"I…" He broke off, a look of horror on his face as he looked at me. "I never wish to treat you like that."

I smiled reassuringly. "You won't, my love. You are the _perfect_ mate, Edward."

He smiled at me, but it was a sad smile. "You must tell me, stop me, if I ever do. I couldn't bear it if I ever hurt you." He brushed his lips against my cheeks, up to my ear and then down the line of my jaw.

He repeated the cycle a few times before I turned my head just right, making him kiss me.

"I will, but I know you won't," I said, effectively ending the conversation and closing it for any further debate. "Now, come on, let's go meet the family."

We laughed together and he took my hand, leading me forward. I went along with him willingly, always trusting him completely.

It was when we got to the door that I started getting really nervous.

And I mean really. Fucking. Nervous.

I gulped in excessive amounts of air, trying to stop myself from hyperventilating.

Huh. Not helping.

Edward panicked at my obvious discomfort. "Love, what's wrong? Are you feeling well? Can you breathe correctly? Bella, tell me what's wrong. Please."

"Are you sure I'm ready to meet your family?" I squeaked out. But then I got verbal diarrhea and I couldn't stop dispelling all my fears for the world to hear. "What if they don't like me; I mean, I _am_human. Surely, in your world, that would mean that I'm nothing and most of your kind would want to kill me and drink my blood. Or, you know, what if..."

Edward stopped me, putting his hand over my mouth. I didn't even bother to try to get the rest out.

"I have a few things to say to that, my love," he said, and I could tell that he was angry. Yeah, that didn't help the whole 'must not jump Edward' situation. But he seemed to ignore my wanton, lustful gaze, determined to continue his speech. "First of all, I _know_that you are ready to meet my family. They have wanted to meet you since I first realized you were my mate. Secondly, they will like you—no, they will _love_you—because you are the woman that I have waited for a century to meet. Thirdly, you are not _just_a human. Your humanity is one of the things that I love about you, and though we need to discuss the prospect of your changing, I would like to hold it off for a little longer. Your blush, your heartbeat, your… everything that is your humanity is attractive and beautiful to me. And fourthly, I would have to be in ashes before any other vampire outside of my family touched you. You. Are. _Mine_."

Those last three words were practically growled out and excuse me if I didn't rub my thighs together. Because that was just so fucking hot.

"Yours, love," is all I said. He visibly calmed when I confirmed his… _claim_. Most people would hate to be claimed or whatever, but I love it. It was sexy as hell and a vampire thing.

He knew that I believed him about the other points—well, mostly (I wasn't sure about that third point)—from the look I gave him.

He smiled triumphantly before leading me to the door. Said door was opened before we even reached it.

I was going to have to get used to vampire hearing and such. It seemed I had much to learn, but I would do so gladly and with pride.

"Ah, Edward," a woman—his mother, Esme, I would presume, as she was the only one I hadn't met—said as her beaming face stepped forward into better view. "You've returned. Oh, and this must be your beautiful Bella. Oh, dear, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please come inside and meet the rest of the family… though I know you already know them."

I blushed as she babbled happily, leading us through the door. Once she'd finished speaking, I looked around the room. It was a plain, open space with a piano off to the side.

"Thank you, very much, Mrs. Cullen," I said, smiling at her. "You have a beautiful home."

"Oh, dear, just call me Esme," she said lovingly, gazing at Edward's arm which was wrapped around my waist.

I nodded, swallowing nervously. "Esme."

Edward noticed my nervousness and he started drawing lazy patterns on my hip. I very nearly moaned at the sensation, but I reminded myself that his mother was in the room. That and his family would be able to hear me.

"I'll leave Edward to give you a tour of the house," she said and I nodded without really comprehending what she was saying. She glanced at Edward and he nodded.

I made a mental note to ask him what that was about later.

"Edward, dear," Esme said softly as I looked around. We were walking up the stairs by now and were just nearly at the top on the third floor. "Would you please go and round your sisters and brothers up? I want them to meet Bella properly."

"Of course, Mom," Edward said, and he was about to flit off to get them when he looked at her. "Where's Carlisle?"

Esme smiled apologetically and looked at me. "I'm sorry to the both of you, but he's been asked to take a double shift at work. An important meeting came up that he just wasn't allowed to miss."

"Ah," Edward said, nodding before disappearing from my side.

Esme walked forward, taking my face in her hands. She kissed my cheeks with only a mother's love and I nearly cried. I wished my own mother was like that. But she wasn't; in fact, she could care less about me.

"Thank you, dear," she said softly and I knew she was speaking like this so no one else heard her, "For picking Edward; you haven't been around here, to see the changes we've seen in him. He's a new, improved, and happier man with you."

My breath hitched and I couldn't stop myself from hugging her.

"Oh, sweetheart," she said, obviously touched from the affection. She pulled me back from her, to look at my face. My vision was blurry, embarrassingly so. "Oh, dear, don't cry. Would you like to tell me why you're crying?"

"Um…" My voice broke even on that one non-word. "You're the only woman in my life who has been nice to me, who has hugged me and loved me. You're… you're the only one who's acted like a mom for me."

"Oh, but what about your own mother?" She hugged me to her own form when I whimpered, shaking my head.

I laughed bitterly. "She doesn't care about me."

"Well, how dare she hurt my baby?" she said and my breath hitched.

I pulled back and wiped the tears away from my face. As I did that, I said, "You'd… you'd be my mother?"

She smiled, heartened by my obvious delight. "It would be my honor, Isabella."

I crashed into her form as I hugged her again. "Thank you… Mom."

She gasped and hugged me just a little tighter. "It's quite alright, dear."

"Bella?" I heard from behind me. It was Edward and he was panicking… again. He was suddenly at my side, and he pulled me effortlessly into his arms. He stroked my hair, murmuring comforting words into my ear.

I knew that he'd heard everything, but even more… I knew that the rest of his family was behind us, watching me.

I was never more mortified.

I flinched and ripped myself from Edward's arms.

"Hi," I said, facing the rest of his family. I saw the pity there in their eyes and it angered me. "Please don't," I said angrily. "Please don't pity me. I got over it years ago. I don't need the pity and I don't want it."

"Jeez, you're a feisty human," Emmett—the big, burly one—said. He then looked over my head to Edward, who had wrapped his arms around me from behind. "Good one, Eddie."

"Do not call me Eddie," he snapped, growling, and I giggled. I could feel Edward smile when I did that. He liked it when I was happy. I sighed and settled back into his arms.

"Sorry for the… _weird_ start," I said casually, looking at them all. I noticed that Rosalie wasn't looking at me and she seemed irritated. I shrugged it off, though, not caring at the moment.

"Well, it was certainly an… _emotional_… introduction," Jasper said uncomfortably. I suddenly remembered that he could sense and control emotions.

"I'm sorry, Jasper," I said and he looked at me, amazed. "It would have been hard… to feel my outburst."

"Um," he said, his eyes narrowing as he concentrated on me. He cocked his head to the side and said, "That's quite alright. Don't worry about it."

I nodded and looked around awkwardly.

At least, I did until a hard… something crashed into me.

"What the fu-?" I said, rocking back on my heels, and therefore into Edward, as my body adjusted to the impact. I heard Edward growl protectively but took no notice.

Because this was Alice.

"Alice?" I squeaked and she whipped her head back from my shoulder to look at me.

"Oh, Bella," she said, practically jumping. Her hands, which were on my shoulders, were digging into me, guaranteed to leave a bruise. "We're going to be the best of friends! I've seen it!"

I grunted at the tugging feeling. "I'm sure we will, but, uh, could you pleaseletgoofme?"

She understood me, despite the jumbled mess and immediately let go of me.

I rolled my shoulders a few times before settling back into Edward's arms.

Edward was uptight and very protective right now. The growl that was vibrating from his chest should have frightened me—since it was kinda putting everyone else on edge—but instead it calmed me completely.

"It's your growl, my love." That was all he said but I knew he'd explain it when we were alone. "And now, would it be alright if we went to our cottage?"

Our cottage? What? We have a fucking _cottage_?

I looked at Edward, surprised and confused. "We have a cottage? To ourselves?" He nodded and I stood there, stunned.

I didn't notice that Edward had picked me up and was now running with me in his arms to our cottage.

When I realized what would be happening there, I blushed and licked my lips.

Oh. My. God.

Edward slowed to a stop and I looked at him.

His eyes were boring into mine. "Are you ready, my love?"

I let out a mixture of a whimper and a moan, nodding. I could feel his hard, thick length against the side of my leg.

It gave me confidence.

Fuck yeah, I'm ready.

* * *

><p><strong>You guessed correctly, next chapter... LEMON central!<strong>

**Um... about the whole bitchy Renee thing... that's going to get a little better. But then, there's something else I've got planned for that. *Wicked grin***

**And I'm sorry this is a tad late. I've had a bit of a fast-paced RL today. But it's fine, because the next chapter is already up and running (or in this case in my head and being written) and it'll be up hopefully tomorrow. Once again, if not then the next day. I am trying to create a bit of a schedule to maintain my writing and try to get ideas for my other stories.**

**But... oh well. Enough chatter. Please review this story... we've got quite a few fav's and alerts, but only 2 reviews. *Wahhh***

**Anyways, as always... thank you.**

**Bexie25**

**(P.S. Twilight has never been mine and most likely never will be. If it ever is, however, we'll you'll probably all know about it. *Smiles wickedly*)**


	3. A Deserving Love

**Hello there**

**So... Happy new year, of course. I hope you all had a good time.**

**Here is the next chapter. This chapter is all sexiness, mixed in with insecurity and a whole lotta hot.**

**But anyways... I hope you like it. Please keep in mind that this is only my second lemon. Ever.**

**Thanks to three faithful people who have reviewed each of the previous chapters. I'm glad you reviewed and everything... Oh and those of you who have favourited or alerted, but not reviewed... Please review, even if it's a happy face. If you don't, it kinda plays with my confidence as a writer... in a bad way.**

***AN 5/3/2013: ****I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. As well as this, she'll be changing some of Edward's dialogue just to make it more formal, realistic and mature. It will have the same meaning, and be the same, just words will be changed. Nothing major will be changed. The name of this chapter has been changed, as you can see, from Deserving Love to A Deserving, Perfect Love.***

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Yes," I whispered, looking up at him. "I'm ready."<p>

His answering smile was radiant. "Good."

He opened the door and pulled me through. Turning back to me, he said, "Do you want me to give you a tour? I mean… it _is_ ours."

I gasped and smiled. "Maybe a quick tour… but, Edward, I can't move out of Charlie's yet. I want to stay there until graduation. Is that ok? I'd still come over and everything but…"

"That's fine, love," he said, silencing me with a gentle, cold finger to my lips. "What I _meant_ is that it is ours when we move in together. I-I mean…"

This time, I interrupted him. "I know what you mean, Edward. And thank you; this is all very sweet."

He smiled ecstatically. "I'm glad you like it, but I believe I need to give you a tour. Just because you aren't moving in yet does not mean that you might not come here from time to time with me."

He gave me the fastest tour anyone ever could without using his natural speed. I must admit that the house was beautiful, the furniture and the layout amazing. It was all so very easy, too. I knew I wouldn't get lost or confused.

Not that that was possible, given the size of the cottage.

"It's beautiful; I love it," I said and he looked at me shyly. "What?"

"Well, I was wondering about the furnishings?" he asked, but he continued before I could comment. "I only guessed at what you liked from your room and the colors there. Otherwise, I had no idea."

"Edward, the furnishings are perfect," I commented when he'd finished. I walked up to him but stopped before he could pull me into his arms. "I love them; they're the perfect combination of us. Older and not modern—just what I like, what you grew up with—and the coloring of the house, the furniture, the walls, everything is lovely. I love it."

"Good," he said finally, with emotions that I couldn't put a name to. "I had hoped that you would like it."

I smiled. "Now it seems that the one room you haven't shown me is the bedroom… Edward?" A suggestive smile came across my face and he swallowed. Hard.

I grinned, knowing that wasn't the only hard thing.

Dear God, my thoughts are in the naughty section right now.

"Yes, my love," he said and I didn't hesitate when he pulled me into his embrace.

"Take me to our bedroom," I demanded softly and he picked me up, racing into the bedroom.

Our eyes were on each other, never even blinking.

He threw me softly onto the bed, his eyes never leaving mine as he toed off his shoes. His hands went up to his shirt, but I was just quick enough—because he was moving so seductively slowly—to stand up and stop him.

He looked at me, confused.

"I wanna undress you," I pouted, while trying to be attractive. To my extreme pleasure, the goal was succeeded. Edward let out a delicious mixture of a groan and a growl. I smiled devilishly and his eyes rolled back into his head at the sight. "So fucking responsive, Edward."

He groaned again. I swear I heard him murmuring about "swearing" and "a real turn on" or something, but I couldn't be sure.

I had hopes though.

And so, I started unbuttoning his shirt. With each button, more of his gorgeous, flawless skin was exposed to me and I couldn't help but kiss him. Everywhere.

When I had finally taken off his shirt, I sat back and gasped.

He really was beautiful in every sense of the word.

"Jesus," I rasped, my voice smothered by my awe. I swallowed hard and bit my lip when I saw the sharp, defining V, accompanied by the trail of bronze hair that disappeared into his pants. I wanted to lick that… maybe not tonight though. "You're beautiful, you know that? Fucking perfect and you're only half undressed."

He smiled, before encouraging me to take of his jeans.

"Jeez, you're eager, aren't you?" I said, grinning as I slowly, oh so slowly, undid the button on his jeans.

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. A wicked grin came across my face before I could help it and I ducked down.

Edward, curious as to what I was doing, propped his head up so he could see me.

All the better, I guess.

I carefully pulled back my lips, exposing my teeth.

"Bella?" Edward asked, confused. "My love, what are you..."

He choked on the last few words as I took the zipper between my teeth.

He groaned as I dragged it down slowly. I was so close to his erect member that I could practically feel it. I could definitely feel the coldness of it on my lips.

"Vixen," Edward growled/moaned when I had pulled it down all the way.

My hand went to the sides, determinedly brushing against his arousal on the way. I pulled his jeans down as he lifted his ass up off the mattress to help me.

When they were at his knees, I dragged my hands down his legs to the bottom of his jeans. Grabbing them, I yanked his jeans down the rest of the way.

Edward sure did like that. He licked his lips, his eyes, black with desire, were fixed on me. I licked mine in return, marveling in his turned on state.

His red, silk boxer briefs were obviously tight, constricting his length, and a new wave of arousal hit me. Edward breathed in and growled when he smelled it. He was about to lunge for me, but I stopped him.

"You're not completely undressed yet," I said in a sing-song voice. With that said, he laid back and I tucked the tips of my fingers into the sides of his boxer briefs. I drew in a deep, calming breath before slowly pulling them down.

I closed my eyes, looking away. I only wanted to see him when he was completely naked.

Flinging his underwear somewhere around the right side of his room, I slowly opened my eyes.

I gasped. Edward's length was erect against his stomach, his tip engorged. I had been right; he was indeed very thick and ever so long. He had to be something like nine inches. I opened my mouth in amazement, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "Oh my fucking god! You're… huge. You sure that's gonna fit?"

He nodded, smiling pleasantly while still slightly amused. "I'm quite sure, my love. Your body will adjust to my size."

"Good," I breathed. I licked my lips slowly before biting my bottom lip. "Fuck, you're beautiful."

He smiled, happy that I approved of him. As if I wouldn't have.

But that was when I got shy… because what if he didn't approve of _me_?

My breath hitched and I looked down. Edward instantly caught on and I was immediately in the security of his arms.

"Bella?" he asked and the pain was clear in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"I..." I stuttered, overly embarrassed and not sure of how I should continue. "You're too good for me. I don't deserve you because you are just _too good_."

He frowned and that growl, the one he'd described as _my_ growl, came out again.

I relaxed against him, feeling completely at ease. But this only piqued my interest and curiosity.

"What is that?" I asked, touching his chest. It vibrated softly under my hand. I liked it. "You said it was 'my growl'… what does that mean?"

He sighed, and I couldn't identify what he was feeling, for the second time tonight. "A vampire has many types of growls, and their meanings are all varied. For example, there's a growl that is full of menace, a growl of protection, a growl of claim, a growl of sadness and grief, and so on. Every emotion has a growl that accompanies it. They vary in pitch and sound, etc. All of these growls can be performed by both male and female vampires from their first day as a newborn. But there is one particular growl that is _only_unlocked when we find our mate; that growl is for our mate and our mate only. It is sometimes used to determine whose mate is whose, as only that vampire's mate will react to it. The rest hear it, but it doesn't affect them."

I nodded somewhat absentmindedly, trying to take the new information in. "If I'm changed into a vampire, would I have a growl for you?"

He nodded, smiling as his finger curled around one of my curled locks. "Yes, you would. And I must say that I'm very excited to hear it when, or if, the time comes."

I smiled too, happy that he seemed so eager for my impending change.

"And now, my love," he said, his voice changing to an eerily calm tone. As if something was brewing behind it, and somehow I knew there was. I could hear it in his voice. "I would like to discuss your reaction and why you said that I'm too good for you. And, of course, why you think you don't deserve me."

I breathed in shakily. It was always hard for me to explain my feelings, especially after showing them. It was mostly because of my mother's reaction when I used to do so at her house. She would get angry, or just simply ignore me.

One of the many reasons why I moved up here, to Forks.

"I, um," I stuttered, trying to organize my thoughts. Edward sensed this and waited—without saying anything—patiently. "It's just… what if you don't approve of… me? And-and my body?"

Edward growled angrily, but even though it should have scared me, it didn't. Instead, it gave me hope that his love would blind him of my flaws and plainness.

As if reading my mind or somehow seeing it through my eyes, Edward huffed angrily, "Bella, that's ridiculous. You are my everything and I love you. Just the sight of you has me… Well, I would think you'd know by now just what it does to me. But, nevertheless, I will take every opportunity in our… _existence_ together to show you just how wrong you are when it concerns your obvious beauty."

He whispered that last part and I just about swooned.

"Thank you," I whispered back to him, my voice full of love. "No one's ever said that, so thank you."

He smiled as he caressed my reddened cheek—reddened from the flaming blush that had taken place on my face—with one finger, ever so gently. "I love you, my precious love."

I hummed at that name. "I think that's my favorite name of all the ones you call me."

He smiled. "Well, then I shall remember that and call you that every single day from now on." He kissed my cheek softly, his finger leaving my skin as he looked at me. "May I undress you now, my Bella?"

I smiled at his old fashioned antics. "You may, my Edward."

He smiled at the formalness of my speech. I took in a deep breath as his fingers once again touched me, caressing my face. He gently glided them down and over my skin, light as a feather. Light as a feather, yet it still torched my skin deliciously.

I made a small mewl, like a cat as his finger trailed down the valley of my breasts. Since I was standing up—and, well, let's face it, my breasts aren't all that small—they slid in between the pressed together flesh, pulling down the front of my top along with it. It was amazing and I couldn't see anything as my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

"Edward," I whimpered as he trailed his hands down to the edge of my shirt. He looked at me, begging for permission and I nodded wordlessly. He smiled sweetly at my acceptance, making me blush.

He pulled the shirt off and over my head. I breathed in through my nose, looking down as he examined my body thoroughly. He cleared his throat and brought his finger under my chin.

With my eyes level with his, I had no way to escape. I knew it would not go well if I closed my eyes.

"You're beautiful and I haven't even seen all of you," he murmured and I nearly cried with happiness.

But I couldn't be too elated, for my breasts and lower body were both still covered. "Exactly," I murmured and though Edward heard it, he only stiffened and said nothing.

"May I, Bella?" he said, a finger nestled under my bra strap.

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. Before doing anything more to undress me, Edward leaned in and placed a sweet, suckling kiss right over my heart. I gasped, my hand instinctively coming up to grab at his hair.

"Shit," I whimpered as he persisted, never weakening his strong suckle. His long, supple fingers teased the flesh of my hips and stomach lovingly and I moaned.

"Your taste is exquisite," he murmured into my ear.

I knew he was distracting me and I was thankful for it. He sucked the column right behind my ear and I gasped then moaned.

As he did this, his hands ghosted to the clasp of my bra. But with what he was doing to me elsewhere, I hardly noticed.

As he unclasped my bra, his lips moved to my earlobe. He took it within his mouth, nibbling and sucking. I was gasping when he slid the bra straps down my arms, letting it fall to the floor.

He pulled away slowly and I was abruptly nervous again. He could evidently see that, and he smiled reassuringly. "I love you, my precious love."

I smiled at the name, wondering if I'd ever stop smiling when he called me that.

I doubted it.

His eyes grew even more impossibly black, like black holes as they gazed into my own.

"Your pupils are dilated, your irises somewhat darker," he said, tracing the skin just under my eyes. He was purposefully taking his time and avoiding looking any lower for the moment. "Beautiful."

I smiled as he looked into my eyes. I darted my eyes downward, hoping he'd understand my encouragement.

He smiled at me before his gaze drifted down to my breasts. He growled then licked his lips at the sight.

My breasts were perky and full, but even then I feared the color of my skin, or some other imperfection on my part, would throw him off.

Seemingly unable to help himself, his hands dashed up to my breasts, cupping them. I marveled—or rather, we both did, as I could see we were both on the same wavelength—in how they fit perfectly in his hands.

His cold hands—cupping, squeezing and tugging lightly—on my breasts felt amazing, heavenly even. It distracted me from my insecurities, because I knew that if he hadn't accepted what I looked like he wouldn't be touching me like this.

"I hope you realize now…" he said, but did not elaborate. I looked at him, confused. He smiled gently, still paying avid attention to my now-heaving chest. "You're beautiful and you are mine. You were made for me, my Bella."

I smiled. "I know that, it's just that with everything my mother has ever said…"

He didn't need any more of an explanation as he leaned down again to capture my lips in another passionate, fiery kiss.

This one was no different to all the previous ones. It set me on fire, turning me on to the point that I couldn't focus on anything but how much I desired him.

He pulled back, looking at me. "Your mother was wrong; do not listen to her, my love. Ever again. Promise me."

"I promise… oh god, Edward, please," I said as his torture on my breasts started up again and his hands went immediately to my jeans.

"Do you have any particular attachment to these jeans or the underwear beneath them?" he asked, his voice a husky tenor.

It was like falling into an abyss of wanton pleasure and all I could do was shake my head.

Because I couldn't care less about these jeans; they weren't even my best ones.

"Good," he whispered, and I could feel him smiling as he shredded the remaining clothing off my body.

Looking down, he gasped. "Amazing," he whispered as he trailed a hand down my stomach to the mound of my core. Cupping it greedily and possessively, he growled into my ear just one word.

"Mine."

"Yours," I rasped, unable to comprehend anything but that one true fact. "Everything I have is yours."

And it was true; I was fucking _owned_by him.

I told him this and he chuckled darkly, sexily and possessively before uttering a "that's right."

Still cupping me, his fingers glided through my folds, wasting no time in finding my entrance.

I was perfectly fine with that. Time for teasing would most definitely be… later.

"Edward," I whimpered, grabbing and holding him by the back of his neck. I felt like I could collapse at any moment.

"I know, I know," he mumbled passionately, claiming my lips once again.

His icy tongue wasted no time in darting out to taste my lips. I parted my lips immediately and he hummed in appreciation and satisfaction.

We kissed soundly and passionately for an immeasurable amount of time, savoring this time together.

Because it would never be like this again; it would never be learning everything about each other's body from scratch. Instead, we'd be perfecting our techniques on each other.

"I love you," I whispered as his finger dipped into my heated core. I moaned as it slid deftly but carefully in.

"I love you," he whispered as my hand came up to his erection. He growled in want, but pulled my hand away.

I frowned, confused. Why did he not want me to touch him?

"This is all for you, my love," he said and I smiled at the love that was shining in his eyes. "You may do that any other night following this one. Would you like to lie down on the bed? Perhaps that would be easier and more comfortable for you."

"Yes, thank you," I said and he picked me up, lying me down on the bed so carefully, it was as if I were made of glass.

To him, I probably was.

He sat beside me on the bed.

"Bella," he said softly, but there was marked concern in his voice. I looked up, frowning with worry. "If I hurt you or I am not careful enough in my actions, you must stop me at once. I couldn't live with myself, nor forgive myself if I were to ever hurt you. Please know that, my precious love."

"I do know that," I said, sitting up to mirror his position. I put my hand comfortingly on his thigh, but he groaned and I noticed that his member twitched; it was a very _active_thing. I continued with what I was trying to convey. "But I also know that you could never hurt me, Edward. You are my mate, my one true love, and you could never—physically, emotionally, or in any other way—hurt me. We are one, or at least… we will be very soon."

That last sentence sprung us both into action. He groaned and grabbed me, pulling my body to his. Soft to hard, we fit perfectly together so far. Every dip of his skin was completed with my own body perfectly.

We kissed, tongues and all, passionately as Edward laid me flat out on the bed. He climbed on top of me, allowing me to feel a little bit of his weight. It was so comforting and I smiled.

He broke our kiss, but did not take his lips off my skin. Instead, they trailed down my neck and to my breasts. "I do not believe I have paid these beautiful breasts enough attention, my dear."

I smiled seductively, arching my back when he took my left nipple into his mouth. Sucking hard and nipping every now and then, he transported me to a place that had me practically screaming for his attention…

… _Elsewhere_.

"Fuck!" I yelled as he kissed and nipped down my stomach, dipping his tongue into my belly button ever so quickly, his hands rubbing my thighs. Arousal was wreaking havoc on me, and I was so wet that it was on the tops of my thighs as well. "Edward, please!"

He obliged my pleas, darting down to my heated core. He wasted no time as his tongue swiped through the lips ever so slowly. I grabbed hold of his hair, keeping him there with as much strength as I could. His growls of lust and possession only fuelled my need.

"Mine," he chanted as he sucked on my clit, toying with it in his mouth. His fingers, two of them by now, were pumping furiously in and out of my heated core in a fantastic pace.

"Yours," I moaned, nearly falling off the edge.

Feeling that I was close, he doubled his efforts, making me scream out his name as I climaxed.

He brought me back down from my high and, as I panted, he lapped at my juices eagerly. Sensitive as I was, this only brought me back up to a climax. Again.

Finally, he withdrew, having sucked, lapped and nipped up everything I had to give him.

"Your taste, my love… it's unlike anything I've ever encountered," he said, his eyes as black as I've ever seen them. He lay down over me, pressing every inch of his body against mine. "A thousand times better than blood… if it were possible, I would live off you. You're perfect, my love."

I smiled, stroking the hair on the back of his head. "Thank you, Edward; that was amazing. You're an amazing lover for someone who's never done that before."

"Well, considering I can hear the thoughts of those around me…" Yeah, he didn't need to elaborate on _that_particular sentence. But he did… just an itty bit. "Let's just say there was a lot to be left for contemplation."

I nodded and hummed absentmindedly. "Edward…?"

"Yes, my love?" he asked, pressing a kiss to my flaming cheeks. "What has you blushing?"

"I'm ready, now," I said, looking into his eyes.

He smiled radiantly, but that soon faded into a careful, sad smile. "This is going to hurt, I'm afraid. I loathe hurting you, but this is unavoidable and necessary."

I nodded, understanding him completely. "Please, Edward; I need you."

Needing nothing more, he ground his hips, and therefore his member, into my hips and aching, throbbing core.

Oh, how much I needed him! I would have thought it impossible to feel this kind of need at this level. But nothing was impossible it seemed and, as Edward took a deep breath, he positioned himself at my entrance.

"I love you, my Bella," he whispered as the tip of him slid into me.

"I love you too, my Edward," I said and he pressed slowly forward.

I gasped, clawing at his back. It was an amazing feeling, what this was doing to me. Stretching me, binding me to this glorious man; I craved it, needed it with a fierce desire that anyone else would surely think irrational.

"Edward," I gasped as he slid in slightly further, touching my barrier.

I felt him there, and I braced myself for the pain I was about to feel. Having only a faint idea of the type of pain I'd be feeling—from friends' descriptions and other such things—I was quite nervous.

He looked into my eyes as he withdrew ever so slightly before pushing forward and breaking through my barrier.

I gasped in pain, but was quickly distracted by his lips and that tongue of his. Good god, his tongue would someday be the fucking death of me.

I swear it.

As he stilled, filling me completely, he whispered the word "mine," chanting it over and over under his breath, as if to reassure himself that this was real.

I cried a few silly but happy tears. This feeling… it was a feeling of belonging…

… I felt like I was finally home.

Hoping that Edward was feeling the same thing, I gasped and whimpered his name.

"I know," he said, smiling a small smile. He was so still, not moving at all and waiting patiently until I was ready.

He knew, I thought, smiling with relief. He felt the same as I did and he understood what I was feeling perfectly.

Because he was feeling the exact same thing.

A few minutes after the penetration, I was ready. The pain was now completely gone, a beautiful feeling coming over me instead. "Edward, please… move in me."

He needed no more encouragement than that.

He pulled back, ever so slowly, and it made the burning in my abdomen spread as my back arched. Then, as if testing the waters, he pushed in slowly but hard.

"Edward," I gasped, latching my mouth onto his shoulder, sucking and kissing a line up his throat to that special place behind his ear. My legs wrapped around his waist securely and I met each of his thrusts, whimpering. "Shit."

"Mine," he growled, angling his hips to make his length reach farther into me, claiming me further.

"Fuck… yes… yours!" I whimpered out, having trouble with finding the appropriate words for what I needed. "Please, Edward… faster, harder!"

He growled, smirking deliciously. Gripping my hips even tighter, but not enough for me to experience pain or develop bruises, he thrust into me harder, and with each thrust, his pace increased.

"Jesus! Yes!" I cried out in pleasure, clawing at his back. By now, we were both crazy with need and Edward was still letting out a "mine" with each thrust. Whether it was a whimper, a growl, or even a cry… it always spurred me on even more.

Edward leaned down suddenly, and I grabbed his hair as his tongue flicked my nipple. Having already been puckered and hard, it sprung me to life even more.

"Uh," I groaned and moaned incoherently, blinded by the pleasure, the beautiful friction that our movements created.

But it was fast becoming a need to fall over the edge. I could see it, that edge of pure bliss and though I was climbing…

… It wasn't fast enough.

"Edward!" I cried, bucking my hips into his sporadically. He growled, pleasure blessing his features. "Faster… god, just fucking more!"

"My pleasure," he said, half growling as his pace became inhumanly fast. His thrusts were long and deep, but at the same time they were hard and fast. "Mine. You're mine, Bella. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine…"

This became his own personal mantra, as his name became mine. Occasionally, a few profanities and pet names fell from our lips as well.

But this first time for us… it was _all_ about claiming.

As I got closer, my own mantra drifted into disconnected chants of "mine" and "yours," including his name here and there.

Edward's hand flitted down to the sensitive bud, his fingers pressing on it. Hard.

At the same time, his lips went from licking and sucking to being wrapped around my nipple. His teeth, his razor sharp teeth raked down my nipples ever so lightly before he licked and lapped, cooling it down again.

That did it.

"I know, my love," he said, his lips still on my skin, never leaving. He purred one word against my breast before licking it. "Come."

And I exploded, screaming his name.

I faintly heard Edward's possessive growl of my name and a cold fluid streaming deeply into me.

Edward collapsed onto me, careful to keep his body weight from crushing mine. I smiled lazily, keeping my legs around his waist tightly, squeezing. He purred in pleasure and I kissed him soundly. "You're staying… don't leave me… and don't you dare move an inch. I am sleeping with you inside me whether you like it or not."

He growled, muttering the word "vixen" before quickly and seductively saying, "As you wish, my precious love."

And I fell into a completely blissful sleep in the arms of my mate, a smile on my face.

* * *

><p><strong>Talk to me... what did you all think of that?<strong>

**Good? Bad? Pretty? Beautiful? Fucking terrible?**

***Picking at straws here in living room***

**Review please.**

**bexie25**


	4. Emotions

**Hello**

**So, I named this chapter EMOTIONS for a reason. This chapter focuses a lot on emotions in different scenarios. Of course, emotions are present in all chapters... but this one shows most if not all of them. It really has the whole rainbow of emotions, if you like.**

**Um... right, moving on. So, originally, this chapter - author notes notwithstanding - was 9 222 words. That is my longest ever by at least 3 000 words. But, nevertheless... this chapter has a lot.**

**2 lemons and 2 other lemony things... one for each of our characters. Also, around the end, it shows the turmoil of separation for Edward and Bella. It's only for a couple of hours, but if u want any music to listen to at that part, it would have to be "Cry" by Rihanna. Although, some of the lyrics are used there but some are slightly changed.**

**That brings us to a copyright; I don't own Rihanna music or her voice at all. I can sing, though. :D**

***AN 20/3/2013 – ****I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. Some of Edward's dialogue will also be changed to make it more mature, realistic and a combination of formal to non-formal. :) The meaning will stay the same, it will just be worded slightly differently; just a few words swapped for some better ones. ;) Nothing major will be changed.***

**Now...**

**Read. Review. ENJOY!**

* * *

><p>When I woke up in the morning, I looked around, feeling slightly disoriented. I sat up straight, looking around.<p>

Looking around, I was met with furniture that I did not recognize. It only confused me more.

_Where the fuck am I?_

"What the fuck?" I said to myself. The room was empty. Then I remembered everything from the day before and last night. The reason why I didn't remember any of the furniture in this room was because I hadn't seen it properly last night.

"Edward? Where are you, love?"

"Right here, darling," he said as he came in the room. He was holding a tray of food—toast and some strawberries. The drink was most likely apple juice, my favorite.

_He sure doesn't forget anything, does he?_ I thought to myself, completely at ease.

That was when I realized what he was wearing… or rather _not_wearing.

He was standing there, with the tray of delicious food, in nothing but a pair of black fucking boxer briefs. The black against the whiteness of his skin did something to his complexion. He was absolutely beautiful and I wanted him—needed him—right now. It didn't help that his muscles were defined as he held the tray in one hand, balancing the drink in his other.

Fuck me, am I dead yet?

I swallowed hard, my mouth salivating. And it wasn't for the food on that plate.

"Shit," I moaned, whimpering. The covers that I'd held over my naked chest dropped.

Suddenly, Edward's boxer briefs were slightly tented.

I smirked, glad that I had that effect on him… and, of course, vice versa.

"Edward?" I asked softly, smiling alluringly.

"Yes, my precious love," he whispered hoarsely. He flashed over to the bedside table, putting the tray down shakily.

I giggled and he groaned. "Come here."

He obliged all too willingly and, as I was already naked, he ripped off his underwear.

He lined his length up at my entrance and I shivered in anticipation.

He was about to press forward, but he stopped himself. He looked at me, his black eyes piercing into mine, a frown of concern on his face. "Are you sure you're alright? I'd happily wait for a few days for the pain to dissipate."

I looked at him fiercely. "Edward, I swear to god, if you don't get in me _right_ fucking now… I will have to take matters into my own hands."

He gulped and I smiled at him.

He grinned wickedly then, and ducked down to coat my nipple with his tongue. I moaned as it pebbled; the sensation was fantastic.

He was marking me again, and it turned me on even more.

I grabbed the hair on the back of his head, throwing my head back into the pillows. I was using all my strength, trying to keep him there at all costs.

He broke away so easily though. I pouted and he growled sexily. "That pout is most definitely sexy, my dear," he said, before kissing me thoroughly.

And do I mean fucking _thoroughly_.

I moaned as his tongue swiped across my bottom lip, widening my lips. His cold tongue slipped through, immediately curling around mine.

It was glorious, the feeling of ice and fire meeting.

Suddenly remembering what I had wanted to do last night, I broke the kiss. I pushed as hard as I could on his chest, hoping he'd get the picture. He did, confused as he was, and lay down next to me. I grinned, flipping myself over and pulling myself up so that I was now on top of him. I straddled his hips and he arched up slightly, rubbing his length against my saturated core.

I moaned, rubbing furiously back.

But I stopped as that idea came back into my head.

I stopped, sitting there as a blush came across my face. I was embarrassed and Edward knew that. "Edward?" I asked, biting my lip.

I really hoped he would let me do this. God, I fucking wanted it—needed it—now. And now was as good a time as any.

"Yes, my love?" he asked, twitching beneath me.

Fuck, he was going to be the death of me.

I ignored the sensation—however pleasant and sexy it was—and pressed on, embarrassed and stumbling through the wording as I went. "Edward, I-I wanna, um, try something… can I?"

He frowned, confused as to why I was blushing. "Of course you can, my precious love."

I smiled triumphantly, beaming at him. His expression transformed into one of happiness, his trademark crooked smile blessing his face. "Thanks."

He nodded and I dropped down, slowly, keeping my eyes on him. He was looking at me, breathing heavily, fisting the sheets.

When my tongue seeped out of my mouth and onto his stomach, I heard the sheets rip ever so slightly. I grinned wickedly, continuing my advance as if I hadn't heard it. My tongue swept up from his stomach to his nipples. I toyed with both, flicking, nibbling, and sucking, as he had done to me last night.

This made Edward growl and mutter incoherently.

I dragged my teeth down from his ribs to his belly button. Once there, I dipped my tongue in, twirling it around.

"Dear lord," Edward breathed, squeezing his eyes closed. He licked his lips and I swear I purred at the delicious sight.

"You like it?" I asked against his skin, pressing open-mouthed kisses to his skin as I trailed over to the tip of the V.

"Yes," Edward gasped.

I pulled back, looking at it intently, licking my lips. I could feel Edward's eyes on me, but I paid him no mind—literally—as I inspected this part of my man's anatomy.

I moaned, dipping down and licking the tip of the V, sucking lightly. Edward growled, letting out a long, keening moan. I whimpered, still sucking, at the sound of it, and he sucked in a deep breath.

I pulled back, until only my tongue was left on his skin. Trailing my tongue ever so slowly down, I licked the entire length of the V until it disappeared.

I repeated every action to the other side. When I was finished, my face was then right in front of his erection.

I looked up at Edward, our eyes locking as I looked for approval and he nodded silently, panting.

I hummed in arousal, and Edward growled in want. I lifted my hand to take hold of his erection. It felt amazing in my hands as I slid my hand up and then back down. On the up stroke, I smeared the pre-cum, making it easier for me on the way back down.

Edward was fisting the hopelessly ripped sheets frantically, groaning with every thrust. Ever so slightly, he started thrusting in my hand and the friction was fantastic, even for me.

"Edward? Can I…?" I asked him, trailing off. I left the question open, but Edward understood immediately. He licked his lips, biting down on his bottom one, nodding as he squeezed his eyes shut and lay back.

I smiled, strangely excited as I leaned down slowly and touched the tip of my tongue to his slit, tasting the pre-cum that had gathered there. I moaned at the taste—just like the rest of him, it was a mixture of sunshine, lilac and other flavors—and encased his tip with my lips.

He growled, the sound making me even wetter. I whimpered and moaned, to which he growled again.

Slowly, oh so slowly, I slid him farther into my mouth. Making sure to breathe through my nose—hey, I read things, ok?—I calmly took him in my mouth. Stopping only when he hit the back of my throat, I gripped the rest of him tightly, twisting my hand around him comfortably.

At that time, Edward carefully put his hands on the back of my head. Not strong enough to stop me from moving, merely so he was able to guide me in such movements. I looked up at Edward again only to see him avidly watching me. He nodded, silently telling me to proceed and I gladly did so.

It was amazing, to taste him and please him like this. He obviously enjoyed it, murmuring, groaning and occasionally shouting; sometimes it was merely my name, soft as the inside of a rose, whereas other times it was incoherent phrases.

The word mine was perhaps the most said of all.

As he grew ever harder, I sucked harder, speeding up the pace and he cried out my name. I couldn't help myself; overcome by need, I started rubbing my thighs together, looking for friction.

_Any_ fucking friction.

The fact that I was doing this to him—that and the fact that he was enjoying it—made me nearly cum.

Finally, he fell off the edge, holding my head gently in place so that I swallowed everything easily. I moaned, the vibrations making him cum again in long, cold streams.

It was so fulfilling; because _I_had done that to him. Just as he had last night, I had brought him the greatest pleasure known to man.

And I smiled at that thought.

I lay next to him and he pulled me into his arms. Kissing my forehead, he murmured, "thank you."

I shrugged, blushing. "Was it ok?"

Edward pulled back, and then held his body over mine. I could feel every detail of his body and I wrapped my legs around his waist in response. He growled, breathing in deeply so that he could speak. "Ok? My darling, it was exquisite. I can't thank you enough, my Bella. It was very nearly the best experience of my existence… however nothing surpasses being inside you."

I blushed then and he kissed both of my flaming cheeks quickly before kissing my lips.

By this stage, he was already hard again.

_Fucking vampire stamina,_ I thought to myself, amazed that he was already ready. But I suppose I should have known.

"Please, Edward," I said quietly; he stared at me lovingly, a small smile gracing his lips. "Make love to me again. I need to feel you again; I crave it."

He smiled, though a frown of concern was on his face. I questioned him about it and he shrugged. "I am only curious why your feelings are like that of a vampire; perhaps it is because you are mated to one. Alas, I do not have the answer as of yet."

I nodded soundly, not worried at all. I trusted Edward and I understood his need to protect me…but I fucking needed him. Now.

He smiled. "My impatient little minx," he purred lovingly, sucking on my collarbone.

"Marking me again, baby?" I breathed, only to realize what I called him. "Oh god, Edward, I didn't mean to..."

"Shh," he hushed me, smiling softly. "I liked it and I want you to call me that again, whenever you wish."

I smiled shyly. "You want me to call you baby?"

He hummed, shivering in pleasure and nodding slightly against the skin of my collarbone. "Yes, and, for the record, I am most definitely marking you. And you must know that I have marked you in several places already… all can be hidden, if you desire for them to be. Though, I personally wish for everyone to see them and know that you are completely mine."

I moaned, desire washing through me again at his words, possession coloring them. "I want them to see it, but _I_want to mark _you_. It's not fair that I can't."

Edward pulled back, growling as I stared into his onyx eyes. "And who said you were unable to?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. But it did after I tried a little more, disjointed though it was. "I... well, no one; I just… assumed."

Edward put a finger gently to my lips, balancing himself on one arm. "Well you are wrong; if you want everyone to know that I am yours, and you want for me to be marked, then make it so."

I smiled seductively, happy about the new information. "Seriously? You'd let Jess Stanley and Lauren Mallory see the marks I put on you?"

"Of course; nothing would please me more," he growled, flipping us over so that he was on his back and I was above him. He was then gripping my hips suddenly. He lined me up with his erection and pulled me down onto him. My hands immediately went to his chest, holding me up, but Edward pulled the rest of my body down on top of his, so that we were stomach to stomach, chest to chest. His lips were at my ear. "But only if you let the odious males in the school see _my_ marks on _your_body."

"Gladly," I whispered back, having twisted my head so that my lips were at his ear. I licked all the way up the shell of his ear and back down again. I bit the earlobe, tugging hard. He growled in pleasure, lifting me up and slamming me back down over him.

I squeaked at the sensation, arousal flooding out of me. It seemed the quicker and harder it was, the better and more pleasurable. Though I loved when he was slow and loving, taking his time… the speed and power was invigorating; it took my breath away just looking at him.

"I love you," I moaned out as he continued this pace and aggression. The hard, deep thrusts burned their way through my skin to my heart and I fell even more in love with Edward.

"As I love you," Edward moaned back, ducking his head to suck on my neck.

"Edward," I gasped and I tore away from him, trailing my lips down from his ear to his neck. "I want to mark you there," I said, touching the side of his neck. It was perhaps the easiest and most accessible, if not most _visible_ part of his body when he was fully clothed.

He growled as I sucked his neck, and he started meeting each of the guided thrusts. He began rubbing, so that every time we were pelvis to pelvis, his length buried within me to the hilt, his pubic bone rubbed angrily against my clit. I moaned, my head falling to rest on his chest.

"Yes, Edward," I whimpered, only to sit up. A sudden power gripped me and I started moving of my own volition. Soon, Edward was only helping me keep up the relentless pace he had set. "Fuck!"

He hissed in pleasure, moaning as I licked up his chest from his heart, all the way to his lips. I looked into his eyes, my curls falling to make a shield, blocking out everything in the world but just our faces. We stared into each other's eyes, our eyes only flickering every few seconds to each other's lips.

"Kiss me," I finally whispered and he crashed his lips to mine with a brilliant force.

He wasted no time in swiping his tongue across my lip; I gladly accepted his tongue into my mouth, moaning when he rubbed his tongue along the top of mine.

I broke the kiss, staring into his eyes yet again. He smiled as he stared back.

Suddenly, though, he grinned wickedly and flipped us over on the bed. He untangled my legs from his waist and pulled them up to rest on his shoulders.

His lips were now everywhere, sucking hard, making new marks while nibbling and kissing wetly at the same time. It was fucking sensory overload.

Thrusting just as hard and fast, he smirked as I started crying out with every thrust. This was increasing the pleasure even more, but as he angled his hips to hit my G-spot… I lost it.

Screaming his name loudly, I came.

He growled, suckling my flesh and I was quick to make more delicious marks on _his_ skin in return. He came with a vampiric, _hot_ roar that made my body shiver in delight.

I was going to hear that roar again. Several times.

When he collapsed next to me, we stared at each other, investigating the new marks on each other's skin.

On Edward, I had left two marks on his neck—one on each side, so that if any of the girls at school missed one… they would not miss the other. There were a few others here or there, not overly visible when he was clothed. One behind his ear was from most likely last night, of course.

I smiled victoriously at the sight, only to see him looking at me in exactly the same way.

"How many, baby?" I asked him and he purred at the name.

"How many what, my darling?" he asked me innocently, but I could see the possessive gleam in his eye.

"How many marks have you left on my skin?" I asked, smiling at him seductively. It fucking thrilled me when he was possessive and marked me. It was sexy, and though I never thought I'd like that type of thing, it was a fucking big turn on.

He growled sexily, but frowned. "Not as many as I had hoped… but enough for the petty imbeciles at school to know that you are mine."

I smiled. "You succeeded then?"

"Hmm?" he asked, gazing at my breasts, licking his lips. But then he looked at me, smiling devilishly. "Oh yes, my dear, I succeeded."

"Good, because that was—after all—the point, my love," I said and I caressed his temple.

But then I remembered something. "Fuck!" I sat up immediately, but climbed out of bed. I ran into what I guessed was the wardrobe, looking around for a clock, or watch. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Bella?" Edward called, coming into the room behind me. "Whatever is the matter?"

"What time is it?" I asked, grabbing the first things I could touch. Jeans, a midnight blue silk blouse and a deep purple, outlined in black panties and bra set. I dressed hurriedly, awaiting Edward's answer. I made sure the blouse covered all the marks, putting on some foundation for good measure on my neck and face, not wanting my dad to see them.

When I was dressed and he had still not answered, I clapped my hands in front of his face. "Edward!"

He flinched slightly, coming out of his lustful haze. "What is it, my love?"

"What. Time. Is. It?" I asked desperately, still looking for a clock. But there wasn't one.

"It is ten am, my beautiful mate," Edward said automatically, looking at me. "What has you in a ruckus?"

"Charlie," I said, blubbering, panicked in my explanation. "I completely forgot to call him; therefore he doesn't know where I am…. Oh _shit_! I'm gonna have to tell him that I slept with you. Fuck, he'll try to shoot you."

"Love, calm down," he said, grabbing my forearms softly but securely, halting my actions. "Esme called him last night and informed him that you would be staying over to spend time with us, specifically with Alice. He acquiesced, and asked that you return today as early as you were comfortable with. Everything is alright, ok, my love?"

I nodded, my throat dry. I licked my lips, but Edward could see that I was thirsty.

He walked me back into our bedroom, seating me on our now-made bed. He grabbed the tray of food, taking the plate of cold toast off it before putting it down beside me.

"I shall be in the kitchen, preparing more toast, if you need me," he said and flitted out before I could respond.

"Ok, and thanks, love," I said, quickly digging into the strawberries and apple juice.

Edward emerged, not five minutes later, with two identical pieces of toast to the ones from before. I smiled at him thankfully as he put the plate down in front of me.

"Thanks," I said, grabbing one of the pieces and taking a big bite.

It was excellent, as had the rest of the food been.

Edward took the plate of strawberries, which was now empty, and the empty glass away. I ate the food in silence, listening to Edward as he cleaned the dishes and then came back into the room. He sat next to me on the bed and I watched him, enamored, as I finished the rest of the toast.

"Thank you," I said, smiling gratefully before leaning in to kiss his lips quickly. "That was very nice and I enjoyed everything, both last night and this morning."

"Good, my love," Edward said, caressing my arm lightly. "I had hoped you would, and I did as well."

We smiled at each other, but then I got up.

"Edward, could we please leave?" I asked him softly and he nodded. "I want you to meet my father now. I'm anxious for it."

He beamed happily, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. I laughed, hitting his ass, asking him to "please put me the fuck down." He moaned at my swearing and my other actions, hitting my _own_ ass in response.

He put me on his back properly and asked me if I was ready. I told him that I was and he took off running.

I closed my eyes, laying my head on his shoulder, smiling softly.

All too soon, we had arrived in front of his car and he was helping me get off his back.

"Since your car is at home, we shall take mine." I nodded in response and he held my car door open for me. I climbed in and he closed the door for me, only to dash around to his and get in at vampire speed.

We drove to my house in comfortable silence, and I was mentally preparing myself for this meeting.

I was nervous, of course, but I was not going to allow Dad to say anything shitty to or about Edward. Because my man was a decent one, and he deserved the respect that he would surely get.

I would make sure of that.

When we arrived at my house, I could see Dad peak his head through the curtains, watching us carefully. I smiled knowingly as I looked at him, smiling as I waved. He returned the gesture, only to disappear from my view.

Seconds later, the front door opened.

"Bells," he said cheerily, coming outside, a gun in hand.

I groaned at the sight of it. Why did my father have to be a policeman? It just wasn't fucking fair.

"Hey, Daddy," I said, kissing his cheek when he stopped in front of Edward and me.

He eyed Edward, his eyes narrowing slightly. He then turned to me. "Who's this?"

"Edward Cullen, but you already knew that," I said sarcastically, a snide tone showing through. I wanted him to accept my relationship with Edward. "And you mustn't fucking shoot him, Daddy."

His eyebrow rose. "And why not?"

"Because he's my boyfriend and I love him," I said confidently, and I saw his eyes widen in shock momentarily before they fell back to how they were before.

"All the more reason to shoot him, if you ask me," he murmured under his breath, disgruntled by my revelation.

"Hey! I heard that," I said back, irritated. Edward was rubbing my arm comfortingly, trying to calm me down. "Don't say that, Daddy; you _will not_shoot him. I won't let you."

"Alright, alright," Charlie said, holding his arms up in surrender or defense—perhaps even both, though I couldn't be sure. "So, Edward… what are your intentions in a relationship with Bells?"

"I intend to marry your daughter, Chief Swan," Edward said, just as confident as I had been. I smiled at him and he smiled back before continuing. "I love your daughter very much and I hope you can approve of our relationship. I promise to treat your daughter with the respect that she deserves and I will always take care of her. She is very safe with me, sir."

Charlie grunted. "I'm sure she is, son. Just know that I'll shoot you if you ever disrespect her the way the hooligans in this town think they can."

"I assure you that I won't, sir," Edward said, shivering in disgust at the very thought of that.

Of course my Edward wouldn't do that though; we were mates and he just couldn't. He loved me more than anything, a fact I was glad about.

"Ah, cut the sir crap," Dad said, smiling at him as he bumped Edward's arm playfully. I giggled almost silently, and Edward wrapped his arm around my waist. "Just call me Charlie, Edward."

"Thank you, Charlie," Edward said, smiling at him politely. I knew that he was ecstatic that my father seemed to approve of our relationship.

"Now, what are you guys thinking about doing for the rest of the day?" Dad said and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You mean we can go out?" I asked and Dad shrugged.

"Yes; I mean, as long as you come back at a reasonable hour, because you've got school tomorrow, Bells." I looked at my father for a moment, doubting he was serious. But he was and I squealed, pulling him into a quick hug.

"Thanks, Dad," I said and I kissed his cheek. I turned to Edward and he was smiling at me. "Edward, what would you like to do?"

Edward thought for a few short moments, smiling slightly. "Perhaps we should go back to my house and you can get more acquainted with the others; you only really spent time with Alice yesterday…" he said, trailing off, and I smiled.

"Ok, sure," I said, turning to Dad, who was smiling in approval. He nodded at me and I smiled. "Thanks, Dad; ok, Edward, let's go."

We climbed back into the car and made our way back to the house. Edward's hand was holding mine, as always, as he steered the car with one hand. He was drawing lazy circles on my hand.

"Edward?" I asked as we pulled up in front of his house.

He looked back at me and smiled. "Yes, dear?"

"We aren't gonna be spending time with your family, are we?" I asked coyly and he growled in want, his eyes going from topaz to pitch black in less than a second.

"No, we are not," he said and with that, he ran us back to the cottage.

The rest of the day was spent, of course, in bed. And if we weren't making love, we were talking or watching movies.

Mostly, however, we made love while watching said movies.

Edward, true to his word, took brilliant care of me and, at the end of our time together—it was eight pm at night and we were still in the cottage—I did not want to go home.

"Oh, my precious love," he said as he took me in his arms. I was crying from the pain at the thought of being away from him. "It's alright; please do not cry. If you wish for me to, I could spend the night with you in your room. Though I do believe you need your rest, so I will not make love to you for the… _entire_ duration of the night."

I looked up at him, hope saturating my expression. "Will you be there when I wake up?"

He smiled at me, stroking my hair and playing with a curl. "Of course I will; if you want me to be there, I will be. Even better yet, would you like to accompany me to school by car? I would gladly drive you to and fro."

"Really?" I asked, squealing giddily. The thought of spending so much time with Edward made me greedy. He nodded and I hugged him to me as tightly as I possibly could. "Yes! Oh please, that would be great, Edward! Thank you so much!"

"It is quite alright, my love," he said, caressing my cheek. "Anything to keep sadness away from you; I loathe seeing you cry."

"I know," I said, feeling bad immediately. "I'm sorry; it just hurts _thinking about_ being away from you, let alone actually being away from you. I can't stand it."

He kissed my forehead, my eyelids, my cheeks and nose and then finally my lips, tongue and all. He was distracting me, almost admittedly, but I didn't mind one bit.

In that moment, I needed it and I wanted it.

"Let's go," I said and he flew into the bedroom to get the car keys. Once he'd picked them up, he led us through the front door, closing it behind him.

"Are you ready to get on my back, my love?" he asked as he locked the cottage door. He glanced at me as I nodded and he smiled. I knew he liked it. "That is splendid, because so am I. I love feeling you on my back as I run; it makes the run more enjoyable. Do you like it when I run?"

I nodded enthusiastically, because every time he did it, it felt like we were flying. And, in retrospect, I'd have to say we kinda were, because his feet moved so fast that they barely touched the ground.

It was magnificent.

"Good," he said, beaming happily and he looked every bit of his seventeen human years. I giggled and he looked at me, an eyebrow raised.

I told him what I'd thought and he looked shocked for a moment, before he laughed along with me. "Oh, how I love you, my beautiful mate."

A thrill shot through me at that name. "Edward, add that name to the favorites' list. Make it number two." He nodded, smiling happily at me and I knew he was pleased that I liked what he was calling me.

He then pulled me to him, carefully lifting my body into his arms. I wrapped my limbs around him so tight that it felt like my arms would fall off.

But soon we were running, and all that was forgotten.

When we reached the car, we did not hesitate to get in. As always, we held hands and I played with his fingers. I loved his hands and the thought of what they were capable of made me blush.

"Why are you blushing, my beautiful mate?" he asked sweetly and I smiled up at him.

"Just thinking about you… your hands … and what they're capable of," I said coyly, and Edward gripped the steering wheel even harder than he already was, which was already considerably harder than I would ever be able to as a human. "Or more importantly… what your _fingers_are capable of."

"Isabella," he growled wantonly and I moaned at the sight of him. His tongue was licking his lips, his eyes dark black, if there was such a color. "Damn, my love, we cannot do this now. I wish it were possible, but I cannot let your father down. He trusts me to have you back at a reasonable hour. Please do not fight me on this; no matter how much you know we both want it, we simply cannot. You know that, my dear."

"But one little detour couldn't hurt," I said softly and innocently, pouting, though I knew that it truly could.

"Oh, but, my dear, you know exactly how much it could," Edward said, a knowing smile gracing his lips. "If I were to stop this car, I would ravish you thoroughly, in many ways, for hours. And we cannot afford to anger your father."

"No, I guess not," I said, still pouting in spite of myself.

Suddenly, Edward stopped the car and simply sat there, breathing heavily. He looked at me, his coal black eyes piercing through my skin and all the way to my heart, which thumped out a fast tempo, recognizing instantly that its captor was looking at it. Or, rather, the body that housed it.

Now, Edward was a man of his word and he liked to always treat me as a lady.

Well, almost always… in the bedroom and right now, as a matter of fact, my Edward was clearly just… something else.

_Something fucking delicious,_ I thought to myself, peeping at him as I licked my lips. I honestly didn't know how I was going to stop myself tonight.

But I had to, because my dad would obviously be there. Sleeping or downstairs, it did not matter, because when it came to sex with Edward—however early in the picture it was as of yet—I knew I would never be able to simply shut my fucking mouth and not make a sound.

Too fucking hard, and I saw that the pun was, in fact, intended as I looked down, with a smirk on my lips, and saw Edward's erection, clothed in his pants and boxer briefs.

"You know," I purred seductively and Edward groaned, forcing himself to look straight ahead again. I noticed, with much satisfaction, that his hold on the steering wheel was considerably tighter. "I could always help you take care of that," I pointed to his erection and Edward bit his lip, just managing to stifle a moan. This, of course, did not help my own situation and my hands twitched, which he noticed. "Because it wouldn't be all that good if my father saw it when you dropped me off. And you seem to like it when my mouth and/or hands are on you, so I know you won't mind."

He growled wantonly, turning to me and pleading me with his eyes to behave.

I grinned cheekily, showing him that I was not going to relent.

Either out of sheer desperation, or simply because he knew I wasn't going to give up, Edward groaned and nodded his head, always watching me.

I grinned at him briefly, before ducking down…

_oOoOo_

Not ten minutes later, we were back on the road, resuming the drive back to Charlie's. Somehow, it didn't seem fitting to call it 'home' anymore, because Edward didn't live there. There was a comfortable silence in the car, and I wondered where home was.

Looking at Edward, out of pure instinct, I found my answer.

It was with Edward. Just… simply with him, anywhere he was. Fuck, it didn't matter if he was in fucking Antarctica, it would be home as long as he was there.

I giggled at myself, and Edward looked over, bemused. "What is so funny, my darling?"

I smiled; his pet names for me were growing plentiful by the hour. "Just thinking about _home_; I realized when you started driving again that I no longer considered Charlie's house to be home anymore because you didn't live there. I wondered where my home _was_, and then when I looked at you I realized it was wherever you are, even if you were in fucking Antarctica, that would be home for me because you were there."

He smiled pleasantly at this, but I could see that my swearing was still taking a toll on him.

"Sorry, baby," I said, patting his thigh just above his knee. I couldn't help it but I sure as hell hoped that he wouldn't get an erection again… for my father's sake, of course. "I honestly can't help the swearing; I've tried before because Mom didn't like it… but that didn't end very well. Eventually I exploded and cursed the fucking house out." I giggled at the memory. "That was a funny day."

Edward smiled, but I could already see his eyes growing darker.

Fucking hell, what is with fucking vampire stamina? I mean, Jesus, I know they don't have to sleep, but fuck… I do!

I looked away from him, trying to restrain myself—yet again—from fucking jumping him.

_Yeah, well, thinking about it doesn't fucking help either,_ I grumbled internally at myself. _That's it; just stop fucking thinking!_

Edward chuckled and I snapped my gaze on him. I asked him, "What's so funny, baby?"

He shivered, still not quite used to the term. But I could see that he liked it.

I smiled at him when he answered. "Well, love, you looked so irate at yourself, and when you are that way, you look like a little kitten that thinks it's a tiger. To me, that is; to anyone else, I'm sure you can be downright terrifying." He added in that last sentence after looking over at me.

Yeah, I was pissed, but that last sentence… well, let's just say that, from experience, I knew he was quite right. So I dropped it.

The car stopped then and Edward got out, coming around to my side of the car. He opened the door and held a hand out. I took it and he pulled me from the car, closing the door afterwards.

By now, I was already used to that and I would allow him to do whatever he wanted as long as it made him happy.

And this certainly did, as he felt he was treating me as a lady should be treated.

I smiled, though, secretly loving this. Edward was always such a gentleman when it came to me.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and I leaned into him. As we walked up to the door, Edward locked the car. I saw the lights beam, blinking onto the front of the house. It was then that I noticed that my father was watching us, quite blatantly at that, with a smile on his face.

My eyes darted to Edward, who had obviously noticed the same thing. He was smiling when I decided to question him about it.

"Edward, what is my father thinking?" I stopped several feet away from the house. Dad wouldn't have been able to hear me if he tried.

Edward frowned, his eyes flashing to the house and back. "I do not honestly know, my dear. I cannot hear his thoughts properly. He is not completely silent, as you are, but his thoughts are somewhat… _muffled_… I suppose. I only get the gist of them—what they are about and the emotions behind them—rather than actual phrases and words. Right now, he's happy, proud, and trusting; both our names are there too. So, from what he's doing now… I am certain that he is proud and happy that I am treating you as I said I would. He trusts me now, my precious love."

I smiled at that and leaned up to kiss him, though not fully as I would have liked, because my father was watching. Edward pulled me into his arms after I'd pulled away to breathe, hugging me briefly as he dropped a kiss to my cheeks and forehead, before leading me to the front door.

Of course, Dad opened it before we even got there.

"Hello, kiddos," he said enthusiastically, smiling at us. I was instantly happy; my father was going to be happy with my relationship and hopefully wouldn't cause any trouble. "How was your day?"

He started interrogating us as soon as we walked in, leading us to the couches. To be honest, I was amazed; my father was not one to talk.

"Our day was great," I said, looking at Edward who nodded along with me. "We watched a few movies with Edward's family—only the siblings, Esme was out in their garden and Carlisle was at work—and we got to know each other. I really like them, Dad. They're nice people, easy to get along with."

Dad nodded, smiling at the both of us. "That's good, Bells; and what about you, Edward? How do you think the day went?"

"Very well, Charlie," Edward said respectfully and my chest was bubbling with pride. "Alice, Emmett, and Jasper really like Bella. Rosalie didn't really talk to her that much, though she is never really one to talk to newcomers. They only really start to settle in before she speaks. She was the same with Jasper and then Alice when Esme and Carlisle adopted them."

"Ah," Charlie said, thoroughly interested. "I wanted to ask you about that, actually. Who was the first to be adopted and from then on?"

"I was," Edward said, this time not lying. He was merely changing around facts to fit with the human façade. "My real parents died when I was quite young, and so I do not remember them clearly. I believe I was three when I was adopted, followed by Rosalie, when I was eight. Rosalie and I didn't like each other at first; she was a year and four months older than me. We had no desire to play together at all. But after a while, especially when Emmett joined us two years later—he was only a few months older than Rosalie—we got a long more easily. Jasper and Alice joined us at the same time, actually. They had developed an attachment where they'd both stayed, before coming into our family. Jasper was fifteen and Alice fourteen when they joined us."

"That's really remarkable," Charlie said, awe coloring his voice. "To think that you all have come such a long way and how close you are as a family by now. Don't you think, Bells?"

"Yeah," I said, smiling at Edward. "And you can really see it when you go to their house. It's really beautiful to watch."

This I was not lying about. In that first introduction, being the perceptive person I naturally am, I had really seen their connections with each other. It was like they were really all biologically created—something that was obviously impossible and incorrect—but it was there nonetheless.

Edward sensed that I was not lying, and smiled back down at me. He kissed my forehead, lovingly but briefly, before turning his attention back to my father.

"I am sorry, Charlie, Bella," he said, getting up carefully. I got up with him, standing by his side. "But I must go now; Esme is expecting me home before curfew, at ten-thirty. Goodnight, Charlie," Edward said and I nearly laughed.

Curfew? They didn't have a fucking curfew. But, of course, you couldn't tell the Chief that his daughter's boyfriend would be staying with said daughter every night in her bedroom.

I walked Edward out, kissing him quickly. I watched as he walked to his car, climbed in and drove off.

Sighing from the pain of separation and rubbing my chest, I closed the door.

I made a bee-line for the stairs and Dad didn't stop me. Instead, he turned the T.V. back on to watch the game that had just started.

I could already feel the tears prickle as I started walking up the stairs.

The first ones leaked two-thirds of the way up.

They reached my chin, falling to the ground when I turned the door knob…

…And as soon as my bedroom door closed, a sob broke through my clenched teeth, rattling through my pain-filled body.

My mind was gone. I felt like I was spinning around…

…And deep inside… my tears…

I'll drown.

I could feel it. I was losing grip on reality and Edward probably wasn't even home yet.

I barely made it to the bed, curling up in a ball on my bed for a while, crying softly as I let the pain take over.

I was mindful of my father, who was downstairs, watching a game. I didn't want to even try to explain why I was crying. That would most certainly be awkward.

I felt like I was falling… and in that moment, I knew why Edward had needed me so much. I knew that he was most likely reacting the same way. Well, minus the tears, but the pain would most likely be there for him too.

I was itching for Edward, my body literally aching for him in a way I hadn't experienced yet… for his touch and reassurance. I felt all alone and I couldn't do anything, even so much as _move_.

I was numb, the hole in my chest showing me the agonizing part of having a soulmate.

I prayed—hoped—that Edward would come into my room, flying through the window and into my arms.

Of course, that did not happen. He was probably waiting for Charlie to go to bed.

Eventually the tears dried up, clearing from my face… but that didn't stop the pain. It was there, and with each breath, it felt like my chest was cracking in half.

It was not long after that when I heard Dad climbing up the stairs.

Seconds later, there was a knock on my door, no doubt my dad.

"Come in," I said, looking down at my bed. I was still in the clothes I had been in today.

But I was not going to let him see my face. He'd freak out from how it looked, crumbled by the pain… and I had to disguise the pain in my voice, too.

The door opened to reveal my dad. "Hey, Bells, I'm gonna go to bed now. I'll see you in the morning."

"Ok," I said, nodding, still not looking up. "Bye, Dad. Have a good sleep."

He relayed the same to me, and as soon as I heard him close his bedroom door, I got up. Grabbing my shower things, I opened my door and walked out to the bathroom.

Every movement was torture; I felt like I was dragging my body behind me with each step.

But as soon as I opened the door… the pain stopped and I gasped.

"Edward," I whispered gleefully, relief washing over me. I jumped into his arms, my mouth slamming down onto his as he caught me. We kissed thoroughly for a few minutes, breathing deeply through our noses. "Baby, what are you doing in my bathroom?"

"I listened to your conversation with your father," he said, tracing my collarbone lightly with his fingertips. I moaned from the sensation, but he continued. "And then when I heard you collect your toiletries, I decided to meet you in here."

"Ah," I said seductively, a smile spreading slowly across my face. "So you wanted to join me in the shower, baby?"

He nodded, licking his lips as his eyes darkened slightly. I moaned wantonly again at the sight, licking my own lips…

…Because a horny Edward was a_fucking_ sexy one.

"Ok," I whispered, my breath washing over his face. I would have been mortified except for the fact that I remembered him once saying that my breath smelled exactly like my scent and he loved it.

He growled, smiling sexily.

We undressed each other quickly, silently. Our breaths were shared as we kissed the whole time while doing so, caressing each other's bodies as they were revealed.

That was how I knew… that he'd felt the pain. All the caressing and touching, it was our way of reconnecting, of healing our emotional wounds from the few hours that we'd been apart.

The electricity we had always felt—from when we first met, the first day I saw him and touched him—flowed through us, healing our connection. It crackled and sizzled, and we moaned and groaned at the sensation of what it was doing to us.

Finally, fucking _finally_we were both bare. We appraised each other's naked forms for mere seconds before we clashed together… soft curves to hard ones.

"Edward," I said as he kissed suckling kisses down my neck. "Fuck… Edward… the shower… water… on."

He smiled against my neck at my incoherent, desire-filled state. "As you wish, my precious love."

He let go of most of me, keeping the arm wrapped around my waist there. He turned the water on, careful to make the best temperature for both of us.

"Is that alright, my love?" he asked, and I put my hand under the water.

"It's wonderful; thanks, baby," I said and I stepped into the shower, pulling him along with me.

"Wait, love," he said softly, flashing over to the door. He locked it but lingered, as if listening for something.

"Edward?" I asked, confused. He held a hand up, telling me to wait.

"Just checking, my dear," he said as he walked back over to me, pulling me into his arms under the water.

"Checking what?" I asked as he resumed kissing down my neck. I gasped, holding him right there.

"That your father was asleep," he said, pulling back so I could see the wicked grin on his face. I licked my lips at the sight, feeling myself get even wetter.

He growled as he smelled it and he fell to his knees.

"Wha-" I asked, only to be cut off by the feeling of his tongue right there. There being my entrance. "Shit!"

He withdrew, only to put a finger to his lips. "You must try to be as silent as you can."

The same electricity was tenfold in the cascading water shield.

I whimpered incoherently, unable to form a response when two of his fingers thrust into me. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his neck and he pushed me into the wall, growling, holding me there securely.

"Fuck," I gasped, grabbing his hair and pulling roughly. His mouth was doing ungodly things to my clit; all the while, his fingers were pumping furiously in and out of me. That, combined with the electricity… um, I could already feel my orgasm coming on. "Jesus, Edward!"

Suddenly, his fingers and tongue switched places. Now, his tongue was thrusting into me and his fingers were flicking and rubbing my clit furiously.

"Huhh," I whimpered as his movements became so fast they blurred.

His fingers pinched my clit then and I exploded, seeing stars.

I clenched my teeth, stopping myself from screaming aloud in pleasure. Instead, I whimpered, moaned and groaned, my head thrashing.

Edward released my legs from around his neck, dropping them down. He held my hips to stop me from falling. He then kissed up my body as I came down from my high, breathing heavily.

"I love you," I breathed as he reached the edge of my lips.

"I love you," he said and he kissed me passionately. My hands threaded through his hair, my legs wrapping around his waist. He pulled away from my lips to look at me, but I didn't release my hold on his hair. "And may I say that you are breathtakingly beautiful when you come… for me."

I whimpered and moaned, grounding my heated core onto his erection.

He growled, thrusting against me, and my held fell back in pleasure. He nibbled and licked my collarbone, marking me yet again, purring as he did it.

"Edward, please," I said, tugging on his hair so I could see his face. "Make love to me. Now and here. Please," I begged him, leaning in and licking his lips for him. He purred in desire and we kissed. My mouth immediately opened when I felt his breath on my lips. He thrust his tongue into my mouth at the exact same time that his length thrust into me.

I moaned against him, kissing him fiercely as he started thrusting slowly, but deeply and hard. Our hips met at each thrust and we were both climbing steadily to that place that only we could bring each other to.

The room was filled with gasps and whimpers, growls and groans and moans and purrs as we thrust in sync. Edward took a nipple into his mouth and my hold on his hair tightened. He growled in response, nibbling on my nipple instead. My head rested against the wall, the water of the shower momentarily forgotten.

As we grew ever closer to that point, that beautiful edge of glory and pleasure, Edward's movements quickened and he groaned "mine" over and over. He took hold of my hips, therefore gaining control of my movements as well. As his movements became blurred—as they always did when one of us was near the edge—I gave up on trying to move with him. Instead, I pulled on his hair and his head came up level with mine. I kissed him and he thrust his tongue into my mouth, for the first time without asking for permission.

I came, amazed by his possessive and controlling movements, and in that moment, more turned on than ever.

His movements stilled, his chest vibrating with a growl as he came. I felt the coldness of his fluid spill into me and I kissed him with more fervor.

When we had both come down from the high, we released each other. We washed ourselves in the now cool water, but I was so used to the coldness of Edward that I didn't notice.

When we got out, Edward dressed in his own clothes while I got my pajamas on. They were plain grey ones—a pair of sweats and a holey t-shirt to go with it. I saw Edward eying me, with what looked like desire.

If he desired me in these, then what was he gonna think of me in actual lingerie?

I smiled, planning on talking to Alice to ask her to help me.

I walked into my room, tugging Edward silently behind me. I climbed into bed, checking my phone.

There was one text message, from Alice.

A: I'll help you Bella. Don't worry, we'll go next weekend! :D

B: Thanks Alice. See you tomorrow at school, yeah?

A: Of course and you better sit with us, Bella!

B: Ok Alice. Now goodnight; I need my sleep :)

I chuckled as I turned off my phone and Edward looked at me questioningly.

"Who was that, my sweet angel?" he asked me and I melted into him.

_Sweet angel?_ I thought to myself. _Lord, have mercy on me._

"Your sister," I said and his eyebrow rose. "Alice; she wants to go shopping next weekend."

"Ok, my darling," he said, looking at me and I smiled. "As long as you know what you have gotten yourself into. What else did she say, my precious love?"

I had closed my eyes, but they popped open at his question. I was so sleepy that I had to think over what he'd just said. "Hmm? Oh, she said that I'd better sit with you at lunch tomorrow. I told her I would and that I needed to sleep, so goodnight."

"Well, in that case," Edward said, leaning in to capture my lips in a short but sweet kiss. "Goodnight, my beautiful mate," he whispered against my lips, pulling me into his arms.

My head rested on his chest, an arm and a leg thrown over him, and I fell into a peaceful, Edward-filled dream.

* * *

><p><strong>Do you get why I named it EMOTIONS now?<strong>

**So what did u think? Did u like it? Do u want more chapters as long as this one or shorter... maybe even longer ones?**

**Any suggestions on length are welcome.**

**Just one thing... my "schedule" at the moment for this story seems to naturally be every 2-3 days. Just thought u might wanna know. I'll try to stick to that, but it may go awry from time to time. Only by a day or two at the most, though.**

**Anyways... review please.**

**And thanks to those who review and have favourited and alerted.**

**bexie25**


	5. The Average School Day

**Hello**

**It's early in the day for this I know. The reason is that I would have uploaded it last night, however my French brother-in-law had to borrow my computer, which is terribly slow at the moment, but not too badly. Meaning I had less time to edit and add in the things I desperately wanted to add in.**

**Oh and Rosalie's story and some sisterly bonding between Rosalie and Bella is coming up. Along with the revelation of Tanya... more about Bella's relationship with her mother and how bitchy said mother is. Don't hate me for it; it's how this story is going. I wanted to have a good parent, bad parent thing going on. :D**

**Pictures of Bella's outfit will be up A.S.A.P, but remember that my internet is slow, making it hard to search for them and stuff.**

***A/N: 6/4/2013****– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.***

**So now... here's the chapter.**

**Read. Review. ENJOY!**

* * *

><p>I woke up in the morning, in cold, secure arms. I stretched, rolling over and burrowed into Edward's chest.<p>

"Good morning, my love," he whispered in my ear, his breath tickling my skin. I giggled, rubbing my face against his cheek. He purred, rubbing softly back.

"I love you, Edward," I said to him, pulling back to look in his eyes. "Morning, baby."

His eyes, smoldering as always, looked right back. "I love you, Bella."

We smiled at each other and I pushed him flat on his back. He complied and I laid my head on his chest.

"What time is it?" I asked him, closing my eyes. The rising and falling of his chest was the only thing I could hear. His heartbeat was long gone, but it didn't feel weird or scary; it felt right somehow, the norm.

"Six o'clock, my beautiful mate," he said, wrapping his arms around me. I nestled into his arms and we lay there for a few silent minutes. "I feel that I must ask you something."

I stayed where I was, but my eyes popped open. My heartbeat rose frantically and my breathing elevated slightly. The evident edge in his voice was not comforting, and I struggled to stay calm and collected.

"Do not be alarmed, my dear," he told me, tightening his arms around me in reassurance.

Easier fucking said than done.

But I tried to calm down, forcing myself to take deep breaths. Finally, I couldn't stand his silence. "Just spit it out, Edward."

He breathed in deeply, as if preparing himself for something. "It's about last night, the few hours we were… separated."

He forced the last word out from between his clenched teeth. I whimpered, my fingers digging into his clothes.

I, myself, forced the next words out of my mouth. "What about it?"

"Did you feel it, my precious love?" he asked me, whispering again. His voice was anxious, pained and I forced myself to look at him.

"Yes," I said to him and he closed his eyes, a look of pure torture coming across his face.

"And what happened, my love?" His eyes were still closed, so I drew slow, reassuring, calming patterns on his covered chest. I knew he could feel it, because I also felt him relaxing. "What happened for you?"

"It hurt," I whimpered and he growled, a sound of pure terror, pain, and protectiveness. "I felt like I was spinning around and… and the pain took my breath away. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. I couldn't do anything and I barely made it to the bed before..."

My breath hitched, stopping my quick-paced speech.

"Before what, my love?" he asked me, bringing a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at him.

Tears welled in my eyes as I told him what happened. I explained everything. How I'd cried for hours, how I felt like I was drowning… everything about that experience and I ended with how the pain went away completely when I opened the bathroom door and he was there, waiting for me.

He looked at me, watching me carefully. It was almost as if he was preparing himself mentally to protect me from something… or someone. Or maybe just take me away from the outside world.

I was certainly amenable to that.

Which brought me to another topic: fucking school… more importantly… Jessica, Mike, and Lauren…. Oh! And Tyler… can't forget that creep. He actually thought I'd go to the prom with him when I told him I wasn't available; I didn't like those things and I simply didn't want to fucking go.

I shivered in disgust and Edward noticed. I was relieved, actually; he hadn't responded since I told him everything… in fact, he'd become immobile as stone.

I giggled softly at myself, looking at Edward. He was smiling now, obviously happy for… I dunno why, actually.

"Why are you smiling now, baby?" I asked him, tracing his luscious lips. His tongue came out to lick the tips of my fingers and I moaned.

I think I moaned, at least.

But seriously… the electricity really was there all the time, wasn't it?

"You… always you, my darling," he said and I swear I melted.

How the fuck did he _do _that?

I may have voiced that question, because Edward laughed. Like, booming type laugh that you'd expect from Emmett.

_So_… I'm guessing _Charlie_ isn't here…

When he stopped, he leaned down to capture my lips. Of course, me getting carried away, I got up on my knees and crawled onto his stomach, straddling him. He moaned into my mouth and I reciprocated.

"Bella, love, we don't have time…" he said, but his lips were saying the opposite. He was pressing suckling kisses up and down my neck. I practically purred at the sensation, which was wondrous. "It's six forty-five."

"Don't care…" I whimpered, pressing my heated core against his stomach. He growled in want, lifting my hips to put me _right _where he wanted me.

"Perhaps, my love," he said alluringly and I shivered. "_Perhaps_ we do not need to go all the way, as they say. Would you be amenable to that?"

"Are you asking my permission to dry hump?" I asked and he growled, nodding. I whimpered at the sight, licking my dry lips before nodding.

He wasted no time, that's for sure. He immediately arched his lower back, rubbing his length against my heat.

I moaned, rubbing fiercely back.

He started thrusting against me, then. Hard, fast and so fucking deep… he thrust right _there_. There being my clit…

…Repeatedly.

"Edward, _please_," I whimpered and he growled, immediately understanding.

He ripped my pants off, tearing them to shreds and I smiled in thanks.

I hated those fucking pants right now, comfortable as they were. I had better, less worn, pairs of sweatpants and I was getting new lingerie, pajamas and shit this weekend anyway.

But my own thoughts were wiped from my mind when he pushed his own pants down as well, so that only our underwear separated us from skin on skin.

He flipped us, giving up on dry humping and flashing down to my heated core.

I whimpered when his hand flashed down and travelled inside my underwear, flicking my nub. He did that three times until he pinched it, thrusting two fingers of his other hand in at the same time.

"Cum, my love," he grunted, his face suddenly appearing, centimeters from mine. His delicious breath was on my lips and I licked them, aching for his taste in any way or form that I could get it. "Cum on my fingers, my beautiful mate."

"Shit," I gasped, my orgasm taking over. Overwhelmed by the sensation, I clutched Edward's hair in one hand and forced him to kiss me. I didn't really have to force him, however, and we kissed, our tongues curled around each other, sucking and rubbing around the insides of my mouth.

As soon as my orgasm stopped, however, he wrenched his mouth from mine. His fingers, coated in my essence, were pulled into his mouth and he moaned at the taste… of me.

"Edward," I moaned, just the sight making me wet.

He lay over me, letting me feel every inch of him.

And I meant… every… fucking… inch.

"Dammit, Edward," I said, horrified at my thoughtlessness. "You haven't… I didn't. Ugh, lie down on your back. Now."

He was panting then, probably overwhelmed by my forcefulness. I'd been mostly shy up until this point.

Well, not anymore.

"Now," I growled sternly, internally berating myself for my selfishness.

He did as I asked, and I proceeded to take care of him. Rubbing my hand along his length, I brought him to a quick, but satisfying orgasm. I brought him in my mouth to swallow his essence, having brought him out of his underwear so he didn't cum in them.

He thanked me with a thorough, deep kiss, making me melt into his arms, physically, completely and blissfully, relaxed.

Eventually, our breathing calmed and I got up and went to have a quick shower.

Edward forced himself to stay in my room, knowing he'd get carried away if he saw me naked.

I dried myself, wrapping the towel around my body securely and walked back into my room.

What I saw shocked me.

Somehow, Edward had slipped in and out of my room—out of my house—and dressed in fresh clothes. And I hadn't felt any pain at all.

Weird…

_Oh well,_ I thought as I walked up to him, shaking my head just a little bit.

I fisted his hair, seating myself on his lap sideways. My arms went around his neck loosely and he gripped my hips in his strong hands. I smiled at him before I kissed him forcefully.

"Get ready, my love," he said after pushing me carefully away. I knew I was tempting him with my near-naked body. "I'll be down at the car; I think it may be best if I am not here when you dress yourself."

"Ok, baby," I said, completely at ease. I watched him walk off, but when he reached my bedroom door, his hand on the knob, he turned around.

"Oh, love?" he asked, turning around to look at me and my neck… more importantly, the marks there. "Remember what we talked about yesterday morning…" he said, smiling a cheeky smile that made me shiver.

And with that, he was out of my room.

I walked over to my window and watched him unlock his car and climb in. He smiled at me as he did so and I smiled back.

As soon as he was in the car and out of my view, I whizzed around the room, eager to get dressed. I put on some black, faded jeans and a deep, dark-blue— nearly a midnight blue, but _just_ lighter—long-sleeved shirt that stopped at the bottom of my ass, covering it, and some coal-colored, plain flats.

I shoved my completed homework and textbooks into my black book bag. I had a few of them, all in different colors, and though I didn't usually make such an effort, I wanted to for Edward. I walked downstairs calmly and checked the time. It was only seven-thirty, meaning we had around half an hour to get to school if we wanted to be relaxed beforehand.

Edward walked in to the kitchen just as I sat down with my bowl of cereal.

He sat down opposite me, a look of disgust on his face. "Is that nice? Because, honestly, love, it doesn't look very appetizing."

"Well, baby, it's no mountain lion," I said, smiling cheekily at him. "But for a human, it's pretty damn good."

He chuckled at my antics, saying nothing.

I ate calmly, watching Edward as always. Our eyes were constantly on each other, but it wasn't awkward or weird… it was calming and lovely.

Once I was done, I quickly washed the spoon and bowl. Edward stayed with me, talking to me about little nothings, really. I liked it; I had never had this. With everyone else, this would have been incredibly awkward and unsettling, but not with Edward… never with Edward.

I was smiling to myself when I grabbed my jacket at the door. Edward, realizing what I was doing, dashed to my side and held the jacket out for me to put my arms through. Once assured that the jacket was on securely, Edward took my hand and led me out to his silver Volvo.

He opened the door for me to climb in, and I did so, smiling. He walked to his side and climbed in, all at human pace, of course, and we were off, on our way to school.

Having experienced Edward's driving and knowing that he liked to drive fast, I focused my attention on Edward. He was looking at me too, obviously not in the talkative mood.

"You're quiet today, Edward," I said as I played with his fingers. "What's going on in that mind of yours?"

His eyes flashed to my face then back to the road. He didn't want to take chances, it seemed.

Of course not, I scolded myself internally. Not with his mate; he would never take chances with his mate.

Or maybe it was a matter of my luck.

"I'm preparing myself, my dear," he said, smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes. I frowned, absolutely and thoroughly confused.

"Preparing for what?" I asked him, hoping to get it out of him. Now that I looked over the rest of his body, he was tense. I reached out to touch him and he let me, trying to calm down. "Edward?"

He took a deep breath, then spoke. "A vampire—a newly mated vampire at that—is overly protective and possessive of their mate; the thought of their mate being in the presence of the opposite sex is terrifying. That and it infuriates us, almost to the point of a murderous rage, and we're nearly constantly on edge. It is the same for males and females. However, if said mate is in the presence of the same sex and they are hostile, they react the same way. You will be like this when you are a vampire. But, the one thing I want to do the most right now… is take you in front of them, as ghastly as that seems, to show them exactly who you belong with; to show them that you are _mine_."

I sat there for a few moments, replaying what he said.

An idea bubbled in my head and I smiled, looking at Edward. He looked back at me, confused. "What, my beautiful mate?"

"Well," I said, thinking the idea over again. "Um… you could still show them that I'm yours and not have to… to take me."

He frowned, but I saw a gleam come across his face. He liked where I was going with this.

"You could… kiss me or something," I said, mumbling as a blush of embarrassment reddened my cheeks. "Like… in front of people… hmm… everyone."

I bit my lip, waiting for what he was going to say in response. When I thought about it though… I really liked the idea. Because it would work both ways; for Edward, the boys at school would know that I'm taken, that I was his. And for me, all the _girls_ at school would know that Edward was mine and that he was not going to be shared.

Edward growled then, and I just had to look up at him. His eyes were sharply onyx and my breath hitched. I couldn't help it when I rubbed my thighs together, licking my lips. He looked down at that hidden area of me, and then closed his eyes.

He wasn't breathing anymore.

_Not helping,_ I thought desperately, looking away from his wanton form.

"Ok," he said finally, and I looked at him before I could stop myself. His eyes were a dark golden color, like liquid caramel. They were beautiful and I had to catch myself from falling into them.

I swallowed, looking down and taking a breath. "Ok, what?"

I looked at him from behind my eyelashes and he smiled alluringly at me. "If you would let me, I would gladly kiss you in front of everyone in the school."

_Jesus, his old fashioned speech!_ I thought, falling just a little more in love with him. Huh, I thought that was impossible.

"I like that," I murmured as we stopped in the school parking lot. He made no move to get out, so I didn't either.

"What do you like, my dear?" he asked, his breathing calm and his smile beautiful.

"The way you speak," I said, looking up at him. He gasped, seeing how turned on I was I guessed. "The old fashioned phrases and cadences combined with your velvet voice… it does something to me."

"Not now," he choked out desperately, his eyes going dark again. Suddenly, he opened the door and jumped out of the car. He inconspicuously gulped in some air, calming down immediately.

Coming to my side to open the door for me, he smiled.

By now we had everyone's attention. And though I usually hated attention… this type was something I liked. In such a simple and subtle way, we were already showing everyone else that we belonged together and with no one else. That we weren't _interested_ in anyone else…

…I was thriving, ecstatic, and Edward could see that.

His eyebrow rose—because he knew I usually hated attention—and he opened the door, holding a hand out to help me. I took it and marveled in his touch as he gently pulled me from the car. As soon as I was out and the door was closed, his right arm wrapped itself around my waist. I could hear the collective gasps of surprise, probably at the fact that _I _was stepping out of Edward Cullen's car.

_That's right, bitches,_ I thought smugly. _Fucking eat. It. Up._

"And what is that smile for, my Bella?" he asked and I smiled wider.

"Although I usually hate attention," I whispered back, happy that everyone would see our closeness. "I like it right now… because everyone is already starting to get the message, to see that we belong to and with each other and no one else."

He smiled and nodded, silently agreeing with me.

"I share your views completely, my darling," he said, caressing my cheek. My hands snaked their way up his body and to the back of his head, threading themselves through his long locks. He growled, smiling, and leaned in slowly to kiss me…

…Everyone's breath, I was sure, including mine, caught in anticipation.

And the moment our lips met… yeah, I heard the cries… and I smiled.

There were cries of anger, cries of disappointment, cries of unhappiness… but I could also hear the laughter of Edward's family, because they knew exactly what we were doing.

But I didn't pay all that much attention. Because Edward was kissing me, and you can't just fog off to something else when he was doing that.

So I responded eagerly, paying everything and everyone else no mind. I didn't care about them; I cared about Edward and his fucking tasty lips.

_Oh, and his tongue,_ I thought, smiling to myself as he deepened the kiss.

We turned our faces to the opposite sides, letting our tongues battle for dominance. I didn't really mind though, so I let Edward's win and he moaned victoriously. The vibrations washed through his mouth and into mine and I moaned back.

With the silence that carried on through the car park, I was sure everyone else could hear our every noise, every breath.

We shared every breath, every whimper and moan.

But then we had to stop. As much as I didn't want to, we had to; because I _really_ didn't want to get a detention.

Edward had actually pushed me gently into the side of his car, kissing me against it.

I pulled back, smiling at him and he smiled back.

We were both practically giddy, because by the looks on everyone else's faces… we had succeeded in what we'd wanted to do.

Speaking of, their faces ranged from disappointment to anger and I laughed. Some bitches were even crying, which was ridiculous. Edward chuckled along with me and we smiled at each other happily.

The Cullens took that as their cue to come up to us then, and all except for one—and I know you can fucking guess who—hugged me, Jasper and Emmett patting Edward on the back as a sign of… something masculine.

But Emmett, of course, did not just stop there. He came in between Edward and me, putting an arm around each of our backs. We looked at him, annoyed and slightly confused. He laughed and said, "Good work, kids. Now all you have to do is exactly _that _a couple of hundred times in front of Tanya, and you're all set!"

Emmett laughed again and I looked at Edward, who growled at his obnoxious brother.

I shook Emmett off, my eyes narrowed of their own accord, and I crossed my arms. "And who the fuck is Tanya?"

"Uhm," Edward said uncomfortably, stuttering under my heavy gaze.

"Why do I have a feeling that I'm not going to like this," I mumbled under my breath to myself. They all heard me, of course.

"Well, you see, my love," Edward said, pausing to think through what he was going to say. His voice dropped to an almost inaudible level. "There is another coven that is like us, they hunt animals… and they live in Alaska. They are the Denali coven and their names are Carmen and Eleazar, Irina, Kate…" Edward took a deep breath. "And Tanya."

"That doesn't answer my question, Edward," I said in a fake sing-song voice, but I knew he could hear the edge of ire in my voice, too.

He looked constipated, but when he relaxed, he was confident.

"Tanya and her sisters, Kate and Irina, are succubi," he said and one of my eyebrows rose.

"And what is that?" I asked him slowly, carefully… menacingly.

"The female seducers of men," he said, pausing for a second or two, "Human and vampire alike."

"And this Tanya…" I said slowly, my anger bubbling. "This _Tanya _has tried to seduce you… and failed… many times."

"Yes," Edward said, nodding. He seemed relieved that I understood. "But she is persistent and will not take no for an answer."

I thought for a moment. "What does she look like?"

Edward was flabbergasted, completely taken aback by my question. "Blonde hair, golden eyes, pale and cold, rock hard skin…"

"And, of course, inhumanly, _dazzlingly_ beautiful," I mumbled, self-conscious. I could feel the onset of tears, the large lump in my throat not going down.

Edward's eyes softened, understanding coming into his eyes now. "Perhaps, to some she is. But, my Bella… she is not to me. I pay her no attention, but she still… desires me… simply for the reason that I am the only man to ever refuse her. That is all; it is not about love, it is about lust and achieving the unattainable."

I nodded to myself, but the tears started welling against my will.

I could hear Edward speaking to me, but I couldn't focus on his words. I stood there for a moment, before I turned around and practically ran in the direction of the cafeteria. I looked down the whole way, coming up behind the cafeteria to sit on a bench, far enough away from everyone else.

I let myself cry, hugging myself.

All those words and comments from my mother came back to me, as I cried.

"_You're a worthless bitch…"_

"_You're disgusting, a mistake…"_

"_You are nothing…"_

A cold, comforting hand touched my shoulder and I gasped, jumping, looking up to see…

…Rosalie.

What the fuck? "Why are you here?" I asked her miserably, then laughed bitterly. "What, did you come here to gloat about how I'm wasting my time with your brother because I'm nothing but a measly fucking human? Well, _don't_ waste your time 'cause, you know… I kinda already got _that _fucking memo... _long _before I even came here. So consider me already _informed_ of _that_ particular _revelation_." I spat the words out, like venom. If Rosalie was here to spout her beliefs on my relationship with Edward, she could go fuck herself. Or better yet, fuck her husband and leave me the fuck alone.

But, she looked at me nicely—for once—and smiled a half, pitiful smile.

I hated it and when I looked back at her, it was an angry glare.

But her demeanor didn't change, except for the sad, labored sigh that made her shoulders—those gorgeous shoulders, along with the rest of her _gorgeous _body—slump.

I sat there, staring at her, thoroughly confused.

"Why are you doing this now?" I asked her, looking at her as I tried to understand. "You fucking _hate _me Rosalie. _Why _are you here?"

"Because I was once in that frame of mind," she said, looking away from me. "The one you're in now; where you see yourself as worthless and a nothing… a _nobody_… I get it, Bella; I _do_ get it. I was there for decades," she said, looking at me.

"What happened to you?" I asked her, full of doubt and disbelief. There was no way anyone who looked like a goddess could ever feel this way.

Her jaw locked and she stared darkly ahead, into the trees. "I fell in love with the wrong guy…" she said, trailing off angrily. But she recovered enough after a few short minutes and continued with her explanation. "When I was human, I met a man called Royce King. I met him through my parents. As a human, I was beautiful. In a different way to the way I am now, but still… I was noticed everywhere, by men."

I looked at her, believing her. "Royce was sweet, a kind man. My parents—who were both thoroughly business class—practically forced me to go out with him. But, in those days, that was the fashion and, to be honest, Royce King was really rather _handsome,_ so I didn't mind. He was like royalty; a King, funnily enough."

"What happened?" I asked again, totally engrossed in the story.

Her eyes grew dark. "I'm going to give you the short version, Bella. School starts soon and we wouldn't want to be late. That and Edward is probably already anxious, by now."

I nodded when she looked at me for confirmation. "We got engaged; I was so very happy. I started daydreaming of picket fences, green lawns and children: a little girl and boy, the perfect mixture of Royce and me. But that all blew to shame when, a week from our wedding, I left my friend Verra's house, having visited her and her child. I'd been pining for a child; I always loved children…" She trailed off, a small sad smile on her face.

"When I left her house, it was late. It was dark, too. I was cold and I wanted to get home soon, so I went through a short cut."

She stopped short, growling at unspoken memories.

It was then that I knew what had happened to her. "Oh god… you were… _raped_?"

She nodded, not saying anything. "Yes, I was; by my very own husband-to-be and his clan of _drunken_ friends."

She said the words menacingly, dreamily as she remembered, looking out into the distance.

"I'll spare you the details," she said hauntingly. "But either way, they left me for dead, bleeding in the street. I would have died, too… if Carlisle hadn't found me."

She smiled then… and I looked at her, confused. "I thought you didn't like what you are?"

She looked at me, still smiling. "In a way, I don't. Because I will never have a child, but more importantly, I will never have the child of the man I love. You know everyone else's story by now, so you know what happened with Emmett. But what I'm sure he didn't tell you is that, for a long time… I truly hated myself. I hated that I could never give him a family and make him happy. But… after a few years, decades, I grew to realize that my Emmett didn't need all that to make him happy… all he really _needed _was me."

She finished her story this way, looking around and getting up. She smiled back down at me. "Please know that you are not alone, Bella. Though I may have been… _hesitant_… to have you as my sister, I can now really see what you do for Edward, for our family. You complete us in a way none of us ever thought possible. So I want to thank you."

"Thank you," I whispered, knowing she could hear me. I was out of words; I literally had nothing. "And thank you for telling me your story, Rosalie. It does actually make it easier for me, to know that I'm not alone and everything. Um, I'll see all of you at lunch."

She frowned, confused. "Didn't Edward tell you, Bella?"

I frowned, too, equally confused. "What; tell me what?"

"He's transferred himself into all of your classes," she said simply and I smiled, happy at the idea of him being there always. "That's what he was doing while we were talking; it was the only way to stop him from going after you himself."

"You stopped him?" I asked her, smiling gratefully. It wouldn't have done well if I had been sitting here, crying, when Edward came up. I would have just pushed him away.

Rosalie seemed to get that.

"Yeah, I did," she said, snorting. "Dammit, you should have seen them all, Bella! They were... god, they were going crazy! It was the funniest thing. Edward was having a heart attack at the thought of you crying, and Alice was worried because of her visions and... oh, just the sight of them." She laughed then, a real loud one. All the humans that walked past stopped and looked, amazed. They blinked and then carried on to where they were going.

"Of course, I put them all in their places and told them that _I _would go after you. They were all confused, of course, but Edward read my mind and realized that, because of the similarity between us and our past experiences… or rather what those experiences did to us, it was a good idea. He wanted to come with me and threw a mini-fit when I told him not to. So, to make him settle down, I made him go to the office and transfer himself into all your classes." She was smirking now. "He liked that idea."

I blushed, of course, and she burst out laughing. "I'm sensing that you do, too," she said and I nodded.

I made my way silently to my next class. It was English with Mr. Mason and so I hurried. It was unnecessary, of course, and when I walked in the door, Edward was there, sitting right next to the chair in which I usually sat.

I smiled at him, walking up to my seat. He smiled back and got up, pulling my chair out so I could sit down. He pushed me in and sat down next to me.

"Thanks, baby," I said to him and I kissed him quickly on the lips, intertwining our hands on my lap. That was safer than on his, at the moment… or rather, at _any _moment.

We relaxed back into our seats, mindless to everything and everyone but each other. I saw, from the corner of my eye, all the other students watching us, whispering jealously.

Edward leaned in and whispered their thoughts into my ear. "They are very jealous, my love. They are blinded by it. Only Angela Weber and her boyfriend, Ben Cheney, are happy for us; though that is because they are both of a kind nature and very mature."

He spanned out to the other minds and growled, his eyes growing black with anger.

"What, baby?" I asked him, trying to calm him down.

He growled again, but this time it was a protective one… and there was also a hint of possessiveness.

"Newton is planning something," he said simply but I knew that was only because he was angry beyond words. "He's going to confront you in Gym, my dear."

I nodded, trying to reassure him. "I won't let him get to me. He can confront me, but I will not take him up on any of his offers. I promise you."

"Mine," he growled out bitingly, low and possessive.

"Yours," I said, drawing careful, comforting circles on his hand. "Only and forever yours, baby."

"Yes," he said curtly, but he wasn't angry at me. He was possessive and fiercely protective of his claim. "You are mine and only mine. Always and forever. I need for you to say it again."

I smiled at him, letting him see the love I felt for him through my eyes. It worked; I could see the calming effect it had on him. "I am yours and only yours… forever and always."

He calmed then because I confirmed his claim. "Thank you, my darling," he said, looking away from me. When he looked back, his eyes were a bit darker than that caramel color from earlier this morning. "If you could do that every time this happens, that would be very helpful. It will definitely eradicate my ire, temporarily, at least."

"I will then," I said, still drawing the circles on his hand. My other hand went up to cup his face gently and he leaned into my touch. "I'll always be here with you, Edward; you'll never be alone again."

He smiled blissfully, closing his eyes and purring. It was a soft, almost silent, sound, but I could hear it.

I smiled at him, letting him have his moment. I knew he believed me—to some extent—but I also knew that he needed time to fully understand _just_ how much.

"Alright, class," Mr. Mason said and we both turned our attention on him. My hand dropped from his face, making him pout but, to his extreme pleasure, my hand stayed with his, drawing the same circles. "Enough chatter."

Edward groaned softly in aggravation and my eyes flashed to his. He smiled. "He's an odious man."

I nodded in agreement, just slightly, and settled in for a terrible English class.

The rest of the day up to lunch continued much the same. Edward and I talked in between classes as much as we could, ignoring the death stares and incredulous glances we were given.

Walking to lunch, I just realized something. "Edward?"

He looked at me immediately. "Yes, my dear?"

"Um," I thought through our conversation in English class again. "About the Mike thing…"

I trailed off when Edward's eyes tightened, narrowing in anger and darkening too.

"Yes, my love, what about it?" He was trying to calm down.

"Well, I was wondering," I said, watching him carefully. "Why would it be so bad for him to confront me? Are you not in that class with me?"

Edward looked at me, regret filling his eyes. "No, my dear; I tried to transfer myself into that class, but I could not."

"Oh," I said, understanding why that was so bad now. "What about the other classes?"

He shook his head, suddenly smiling. "No; I am in every other class with you bar Gym."

I nodded happily. "Good; I wouldn't want it any other way… except perhaps having you in _all _my classes."

We walked the rest of the way to the 'Cullen table', comfortably silent and blissfully ignoring all the stares.

We were, of course, the last of our family to arrive.

When we sat down, everyone except the Cullens looked at us, openly amazed.

I could hear them, the whispers. But I didn't even bother listening to them, because I knew what they were about and I found it pitiful and childish.

"Pay them no mind, my beautiful mate," he breathed into my ear and I smiled. I looked at him and nodded, then turned back to our table and focused on just them.

"Bella," Alice said, smiling and bouncing excitedly in her usual manner. Her husband, beside her, definitely looked like he'd seen better days, though with a wife as exuberant as his was, I could understand his quiet, martyr-like mood. "Are we still going shopping?"

"Yes," I said, going over our short text conversation. "Next weekend, yeah?"

She nodded silently, her eyes glistening at the prospect as they flashed to Edward's face and then back to mine. I smiled at her, trying not to laugh at her and her… alacrity.

Suddenly, I felt two people behind me.

I turned around in my chair to see the jealous, ugly faces of Jessica and the only member of her ultra-bitch posse, Lauren.

"Oh look," I said to the Cullens, smiling sardonically. "It's the gruesome, bimbo twosome."

The Cullens laughed, nodding their heads in agreement.

"Oh that's so funny, Bella," Jessica said in her sickly sweet, nasally voice. "You are like, so funny; what else you got, bitch?"

"What else _do you__have_, bitch?" I repeated under my breath, amending her grammatical mistakes. I saw all the Cullens shake with silent laughter.

"What?" Jessica said in that kinda stupid voice.

"I _said_," I repeated dramatically, turning around so she could see me rolling my eyes. "That the grammatically correct wording would be: _'what else do you _have_, bitch?'"_

"OMG," Jessica said slowly, "like, why would I care?"

I heard Lauren say the only thing she usually said. "Like, yerrr."

"I'm not going to dignify that inane question with a response," I said sardonically, not bothering to look up at her. "You want the answer, look it up in a fucking dictionary. Oh wait, you probably don't know how to read, do you?"

I said that last question with fake sympathy, but the sarcastic edge was not lost on Lauren.

"Go to hell and like, die, bitch," Jessica said and Edward growled.

I stood up from my seat quickly and walked up to her so that we were practically forehead to forehead. Mere centimeters separated us and she shivered in a strange kind of fear; though, of course, the students here knew by now that I was not to be messed with.

"Sorry, but I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." I couldn't stop myself; I laughed at her face. She obviously didn't know what I'd just said. "Means no."

She huffed; obviously not know what I was saying. "See you later, bitch."

This was, of course, echoed by Lauren. "Yerr, like, see you later, biatch."

As soon as they were gone, I sat down and laughed, really laughed, with the rest of the Cullens.

"Fucking hell," Emmett said, not trying to bring his voice down a few notches. "They are so stupid, like plastic Barbie dolls."

"Yes," Rosalie said, with an evil grin on her face. "Although… Barbies are prettier than they are… and I swear even plastic dolls are more real than they are, too."

We all laughed at her seriousness, but she was unfazed, leaning into Emmett. I smiled at the simple gesture, and when I looked around, I noticed that everyone was exactly like that. Even us.

I looked at my Edward then, focusing on his breathtaking smile. When I seated myself after the plastic bimbos had left, I had sat down on his lap sideways.

I leaned into his arms, resting my head on his chest. "I love you, my Edward."

He tightened his arms, which were wrapped around me, leaning in to kiss my temple. "I love you, my precious love."

"God, I love the names you call me," I told him honestly, unable to stop myself, and looked at him. "They're all just so heartfelt and beautiful. You're my life, Edward," I said, getting all emotional as I reminisced about our separation last night.

"You are my life as well, my beautiful mate," he said, and as the tears fell from my eyes silently, he captured them with his lips. "I would never be able to live without you ever again, my dear one. Not now that I've finally found you."

My breath hitched at the new names. "Edward?"

"Yes, my dear one," he said, obviously having heard my reaction to it before.

"Two things," I said, sinking further into his arms. Why I was getting so sappy right now, I had no idea. "Um, add that name to the favorites list at third place." He chuckled, nodding his head to show that he heard me and would remember that. "And also, about this morning… how did you leave?"

He frowned for a fraction of a second before understanding took its place. "I did not leave your house this morning," he said, looking at me. "I brought clothes with me last night when I returned and I put them in your room under the bed before our… _rendezvous_ in the bathroom. Then, while you were in the shower, I changed clothes in your room."

"Ohh," I said, nodding in understanding. "That makes sense; because I was sure if you _had_ left then..." I broke off there, closing my eyes. Just the mere memory of the blistering pain took my breath away…

…But Edward was right here, hugging me to him and reassuring me that he wasn't going anywhere.

"It's alright, my dear one," he whispered sweetly into my ear. He was rubbing my back in a steady rhythm, trying to calm me. It was working… somewhat. "I'm right here and I understand exactly what you mean. I felt it too, my dear one; I felt it too."

I nodded into his chest, overcome by the memories. But as I breathed in his scent, they were pushed to the back of my mind… the fact that he was really here with me pushed to the forefront, eagerly taking those horrid memories' place.

"I'm fine," I said, looking into his eyes, my throat and chin now resting on his chest. "Really, I'm ok now. Sorry about that."

He shook his head. "It is quite alright, my dear love."

"Ooh! I like that one," I said, smiling at him again, sure that he was trying to distract me.

Well, whatever the case, it was working.

"I am glad," he breathed and his breath filled my senses, dazzling me, of course.

I hummed in acquiescence, leaning against him again.

"I have another question," I said, finally out of the dazzled haze.

"Yes?" Edward asked, always patient with me. For a fleeting moment I remembered that Jacob was quite the opposite in these moments. I shook my head slightly, unable to believe that I didn't understand back then that Edward had been my true soulmate… though perhaps I had just been trying to avoid it.

"Where was my dad this morning?" I asked him, frowning in confusion and thought. "Last night he said 'See you in the morning' but then he was gone."

"Ahh," Edward said, nodding in understanding. "Your father was called just an hour before you awoke and was called into the police department. Apparently there was a killing in Seattle that needed to be discussed immediately. I believe he was advised to leave you a note to say he'd be home late."

I nodded, drawing small circles on his side. He liked that, purring and nuzzling his face in my hair. A quick glance around the table told me that his siblings were exactly the same with their mates… lost in their own worlds.

"How long until Biology?" I asked him and he looked at his watch.

"Ten minutes, my darling," he said and I wrenched myself from his arms.

"Do you want to go to your locker or anything?" I asked him and he nodded. I got up and he followed suit. "Good; because I need to go to mine as well."

I turned around to the other Cullens. "Bye, guys; see you whenever I see you."

"Bye, Bella," they chorused. Their eyes then darted to Edward and I knew they were all thinking their goodbye to him.

I chuckled, happy that I was in on the 'secret'.

I waved at them once more before quickly walking to where Edward's locker was. When we passed Mike's table, he wrapped a possessive arm around my waist, glaring at him.

I wrapped my own arm around him when we passed Jessica's table, but rather than glaring, this time I was smirking. They practically hissed at me, but my eyebrow rose and they shut up.

_Good,_ I thought to myself with satisfaction. _Now just stay that way, tramps._

I heard Edward chuckle softly, but I paid no notice. He liked seeing me get territorial and possessive just as much as I liked seeing _him _get that way.

I leaned into him a little more as we left the cafeteria, reveling in just being alone.

When we got to Edward's locker, I leaned against the one to the left of his, so that when he opened his locker, the door wasn't blocking me. Edward was smiling as he talked to me about sweet nothings, all the while getting his books out.

When he was done, I noticed that he had his book bag out, carrying it with him.

"Does that have all the subject books that you have homework for in it?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yes, I prefer to get to my car as soon as school finishes."

"Interesting," I said, thinking. "I don't do that. I couldn't be bothered, and it always gets so heavy that I only want to carry it when it's full if I have to."

He smiled at my wording. "Well now, you do not have to worry; I shall carry it for you, if you wish."

My eyebrow rose. "But you have your own," I said, pointing to it. Shaking my head, I continued. "You don't have to do that for me."

"Ah, but I do," Edward said sweetly, stopping next to my locker. I opened it as he continued. "You see, my love, as your boyfriend and your mate—the one you will spend all eternity with—I must do my best to look after you and support you. And. as you said, the book bags can get quite heavy and, as you are human, you could easily hurt your back lugging it around. Thus, my beautiful mate, your problem is solved. You do not have to carry it yourself anymore and, quite frankly, I will not allow it. I will not have you in pain or at risk of injury if I can help it. Please allow me to help you in this way."

Now done with getting my books and packing my book bag, I closed my locker and looked back at him. As soon as our eyes connected, his smoldered and I melted, only able to nod and hold out my book bag like a stupid, brainless idiot.

His answering smile was beautiful as he took the bag from me and slung it around his other arm.

Looking down, I calmed myself. Finally, I was able to ask him the question. "Are you sure you are able to carry your own bag _and_ mine? Isn't it annoying or a hassle? And besides, I don't want anyone to think I'm making you do this."

Edward merely shook his head, taking my small hand in his large one as he led me to our classroom. "I simply do not care what outsiders think, my dear one."

Just before we reached our classroom, I stopped, turning to face him. He did the same and waited for whatever I was going to say, patiently.

"Edward, why is it so painful?" I asked, not explaining, but he understood immediately.

"A number of reasons," Edward murmured. "Perhaps I shall explain them later when I drive you home, my dear?"

I nodded and he wrapped a steady arm around my waist, leading me through the door. The class, which had been rowdy a moment ago, fell silent as soon as we entered. Blushing, I looked down as Edward led me to our desk, pulled out my chair and pushed me in when I'd sat down.

Then, when he joined me, and we focused on each other, the class eventually raised in volume as they started talking again, no doubt about us.

Not two minutes later, Mr. Banner opened the door, dragging behind him a video player. The class, surprised yet delighted, hissed sounds of delight. Small 'yes' and giggles were shared around the room as Mr. Banner set up the video player, turning it on and pushing the video in the small channel.

And then… when he walked over to the wall and turned off the light…

…The electricity sparked between us, flaring to heights it had never reached before.

And in that moment, I had never wanted Edward so much.

It was like I couldn't breathe. The need, the impulse to just beg him to take me washed over me and I couldn't think. I was getting wet, oh so wet and Edward could smell it.

His chair, inches away from mine, made it easy for him to inconspicuously wrap his left leg around the bottom half of my right one. I moaned ever so softly at the touch, the electricity intensifying, and our eyes connected. I bit my lip to stop myself from whimpering at the sight of his dark, dark eyes, all the while wondering why the fuck I hated short skirts.

Edward looked like he was wondering the same thing, as he eye-fucked me. His hands slithered up my leg and my torso, sliding up to graze against the side of my breast. He dropped it then, making the same pattern a few times more.

Our breathing grew to short, soft pants as we noiselessly looked at each other, all the while Edward touched me torturously, sparks flying through the both of us.

A moment before I reached out and touched him, Edward's eyes flashed to the front of the classroom, looking around at everyone else, including the teacher. My own eyes copied him, and much to our satisfaction, no one was looking at us or paying attention to us.

Basically meaning we were free to touch each other as much as we wanted.

I licked my lips and Edward leaned in, ever so slightly, to kiss me. Fighting the urge to bury my hands in his hair, I gripped the bench table so hard that my fingers started to hurt.

He forced his tongue into my mouth and again I moaned almost inaudibly as the electricity sparked through us, even as we kissed and tongue tangoed.

I sighed when he pulled away, only to see his hands move slowly down to my jeans. My own hands did the same and we silently pulled each other's zippers down, smiling alluringly and wickedly at each other as we did so.

We were seriously putty in the other's capable hands.

_And, dear lord, my Edward's hands are capable,_ I thought smugly, in a wanton and lust-filled haze.

I knew that this little rendezvous would not be enough. As soon as we left this room, we would have to go somewhere—anywhere—and hopefully, Edward would fuck me; hard, fast and deep.

I groaned at the thought, always silently.

By then, my fingers were wrapped around his erection, pulling it out of his pants and underwear.

I nearly wept at the sight and feel of it: his tip fully engorged, so hard yet so fucking _soft_; cold, oh so deliciously cold. And of course, it was twitching and throbbing in my hand.

Only for me, I thought to myself in awe and delight. I get him forever. I get _this _forever. Mine, this amazing creature is _mine_. Always.

Overwhelmed momentarily, I looked at Edward, but I could see that he was exactly the same. My Edward was just as overwhelmed with feelings of belonging, awe, and delight, as I was. We smiled at each other, going through the same feelings together happily. I wondered vaguely if Edward was thinking the exact same thing as I was…

But then, all thought was blown away as Edward had gotten his own hands through my jeans and underwear. His fingers toyed with my overly sensitive nub and the sparks of electricity that crackled and sizzled, brimming, brought me to the brink of an orgasm very quickly, within a few short minutes.

At the same time, my own hand, which was wrapped around Edward's erection firmly, pumped him furiously, squeezing his length tightly; he twitched in my hands and we kissed soundly and thoroughly as we brought each other to an orgasm, making sure to make no sounds.

But just as we were on the brink of an orgasm…Edward hastily pulled my hand off him, pulling his own fingers out of me. He sucked the juices off his fingers ever so quickly, and I quickly got his pre-cum and did the same, before he was doing both our jeans up with lightning speed.

I looked at him, whimpering in need, overwhelmed, and so fucking confused.

But he didn't need to answer, because just then, the lights were turned on.

_They're not the only things that are fucking turned on!_ I grumbled in want.

We forced ourselves to breathe calmly and deeply, not allowing ourselves to pant. No need for suspicion.

But I was too turned on for words, and so I got up, waiting for Edward to gather our things. He was obviously of the same mind, because he, too, was speechless as he led me out of the building and around the corner to an unused bathroom.

He didn't look at me as he guided me in hurriedly. I looked down at my hands, trying to get a grip on myself.

He stopped soon after, and I looked up to see that we were in the secluded, broken down bathroom. I smiled, knowing that we would be left uninterrupted.

"We do not have enough time to continue what we started," he said and I frowned, pouting. He gulped, moaning in desire. "Please, love; do not make this any more challenging. You know what your mouth does to me, especially when you _pout_. I believe we should go to the office, and convince them that you are ill… because, quite frankly, I will not last a whole lesson of watching you through others' thoughts in the gymnasium. I need you and I need you now, but taking you in this bathroom is not exactly what I had in mind. Are you amenable to that idea, my love?"

I nodded and he pulled me out of the bathroom.

We walked briskly and silently to the front office, not even able to touch each other. The tension and electricity was palpable, always there and never wavering.

It was driving me insane.

I had to fight with myself, wringing my fingers and knotting them together frantically. I looked to the ground, desperately trying to stop myself from darting my eyes to Edward…

…Edward's face, Edward's arms, Edward's torso, his long, sexy and desirable legs… fucking _hell_… just _him_.

And then we were in the office, the heated air not helping the knot in my belly. I whimpered, licking my lips, feeling myself pale at the need for _him_. I was starting to feel a little sick, but I knew exactly the cure; Edward and his body.

Was that how vampires felt? I wondered, because I swear Edward looked ill before.

"I will handle this," Edward said, motioning for me to sit on the chair. I did as he asked, slumping as I hunched forward, leaning my elbows on my knees. Not looking up and not bothering to listen to what Edward was saying, I waited.

Finally, I felt Edward next to me and I stood, sighing in relief as he led me out the door.

We walked quickly to his car, never stopping or talking. He helped me in quickly before going over to his side, climbing in and driving off.

I looked down at my lap, trying to get a grip on myself once again.

The clawing fire, the need, the impulse was only getting worse. Much, much worse; I was getting wetter and wetter. My panties were soaked and, with every inhale, Edward's eyes darkened even more; he purred at the scent of my need.

Finally, we stopped and I looked up to see that we were at my house.

Clambering out of the car, we both practically ran to the front door. I opened it quickly, hanging up my jacket.

As soon as it was on the hook, however, Edward picked me up and sped at his natural speed up the stairs and into my room. We kissed frantically as he did so, clawing at each other helplessly.

He threw me on my bed, pulling my clothes off, his own soon following. His hands never left my body.

He hovered above me, kissing me wantonly and desperately, and I kissed him eagerly back.

He thrust into me, grabbing my hips. He controlled our thrusts, his face on my chest. His mouth was doing evil things to my breasts. Nipping, nibbling, suckling, biting gently, and licking, he was doing it all as he gave me my sweet torture.

"Mine," he growled and I whimpered. "You _are_ mine. _My _love, _my _girlfriend, _my _mate, _mine!_"

"Yours," I whimpered back at him. "I _am_ yours; your love, your girlfriend, your mate, fucking _yours!_"

I screamed out the last two words, overcome by the pleasure. I couldn't think straight and it seemed that Edward was feeling exactly the same. My head was thrashing, but as soon as our eyes locked again, I latched my mouth onto his once again.

Our tongues met, and we moaned at the sensation of fire and ice melting and fusing together in a delicious combination.

His movements were just as I had hoped they would be: hard, fast and ever so deep. He was throbbing dangerously within me, pulsating in time with me.

We approached the edge of bliss quickly, not hesitating in the slightest as we fell off it.

It wasn't long before we were screaming and growling the other's name in ecstasy, both of us coming harder than ever before.

Panting as we held each other, we settled in each other's arms, wrapping our naked forms around each other.

"Edward," I said calmly, still panting a little. "It's later now, baby."

His was silent for a few seconds before he answered. "Ah, yes… your question about the painfulness of separation; well, the simple answer to that would be that when we mate—as in, when we make love to our mates for the first time—vampires bind themselves physically, emotionally, and sometimes mentally to our mates. We quite literally become one with them, so when we are separated it is like ripping a soul in half. In fact, that is exactly what it is. The pain is paramount, and it worsens the farther away the mates are. It does not weaken with time. Because it is physical, it practically immobilizes both of the pair. _We_, my dear one, have a mental connection, meaning we have no way of controlling our thoughts or thinking anything because of the pain. Does that answer your question?"

I sat there silently, mulling it over before nodding. "Yes, it does. Thank you for answering so thoroughly."

"That is quite alright, my dear love," he said and I smiled at him. He kissed my lips, running a curly line up to my ear. He licked up and down the ear shell a few times, then kissed the spot just behind it.

"I'm sorry I left you on the brink, my precious love," he whispered in my ear and I whimpered.

"It's alright," I whispered back, smiling at him as I pushed the hair out of his eyes. "But I give you my express permission to make up for it now."

And he did just that.

He grinned a slow grin, and I just about came again at the sight of it.

* * *

><p><strong>So... how was that?<strong>

**I listened to the lonesome review that said that chapters around this long were good, so expect WAY longer chapters than the ones in my other stories... it's getting easier to write them, actually.**

**I hope you liked this.**

**More in a couple of days... bye now!**

**Bexie25**


	6. Sickness and Upcoming Visits

**Hello**

**So, here is the next chapter. This one is a tad shorter, but I just couldn't add anymore because it didn't seem right. But, this chapter is really good and I particularly like... all of it.**

**That's right. I'm not giving anything away. But I want you all to know that - as the title suggests - Bella is going to be sick in the next two (not including this one) chapters. Be aware and I've had what she's going to get in this chapter and I must say... it is not nice. So... yeah. Enjoy.**

*****A/N: 6/4/2013****– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Alice," I said, bored, still looking around anxiously. "Where is Edward?"<p>

She looked at me from across the table, sitting in Jasper's lap. Rosalie and Emmett were—as usual—off in their own world and not paying attention to anything or anyone else. If I had Edward with me right now, I would find that cute and endearing. Instead, it was kinda fucking annoying me. Greatly.

Right now, we were in the cafeteria. It was lunch, and everyone was around, talking loudly and shouting, giggling and laughing… normal teenage shit, if you ask me.

Blocking it all out, I thought of last night, smiling.

Last night, Edward really had made it up to me. He made love to me many times, making up for his 'horrid, neglectful, and hateful actions' as he'd called it. He was horrified that he had left me on the brink, but he also told me that his first priority had been to protect me.

Today, I was admittedly a little sore. Not having stopped sex for a couple days after our first time, I was officially loved out. The pain wasn't all that bad, it was good. Pleasurable. Just like a workout I hadn't tried before, making those muscles involved sore.

I was brought back from my thoughts by Alice's voice. "He _was_coming back from the front office, but he's been held up, Bella; Jessica and Lauren decided to corner him as soon as they got out of class." So _that's_what that fucking giggly, mischievous look from them when they walked out the classroom door was about! "He didn't want you to know because he thought you might react as you did yesterday morning when you found out about Tanya. But you mustn't worry; he'll be back in twenty-six seconds."

I nodded, in time with my tapping foot. I was impatient; when Edward had been called to the front office, he'd barely had time to say "I'll see you at lunch" before he was off.

Suddenly, I relaxed. I felt a cold presence behind me and Edward's hands grazed my arms as they leaned on the back of my chair. I looked up, not bothering to turn around, and he bent down to kiss me.

Kissing upside down was interesting; I had never done it before, so the sensations and the angle completely surprised me. Edward's tongue grazed my bottom lip, and I parted my lips, allowing his tongue to tangle with mine.

I moaned at the electricity that flowed, but Edward cut the kiss short. He sat down next to me, then pulled me onto his lap. I sighed and nuzzled my face into his neck, relaxing into his embrace.

"I'm sorry I was late, my dear one," he said and I smiled, playing with the button on his shirt. "I was called to the office to receive a call from Carlisle."

At their father's name, the Cullens looked up, intrigued.

"What was the call about, Edward?" Jasper asked, looking at his wife then. Alice was sitting very close to him, frowning and worrying her lip. I wondered if she'd even see the call; probably not.

"The Denalis are coming down for a visit," he said dryly, and we all groaned.

"Are you serious?" I whined, but I knew that the others were thinking the same thing. You could see it on their disgruntled faces. "When?"

"Tomorrow, my dear." He was frowning, clearly unhappy. "Tanya is coming with them."

"Fuck," I muttered angrily, pushing my lip out. I heard Edward's faint grunt and purr in want. "Brilliant."

In the back of my mind, I was already summing up the rest of my time with him. Though Edward had, of course, told me that he would not listen to Tanya, I couldn't help but think of it. He was everything to me, and though we were mates, I was still waiting for him—or rather, some part in the back of my mind was waiting for him—to realize that Tanya really was better than me… and then he would understand that I wasn't good enough for him.

Rosalie looked at me, smiling. I knew she could understand what I was thinking. She shook her head at me and Edward noticed.

"Bella, my love," Edward said, trying to regain my attention. My head snapped around and our eyes locked. "What are you thinking?"

I swallowed, trying to look down, but Edward wouldn't let me.

"Do not look away from me, please, my dear Bella." I smiled at the name and he took that as another sign of winning. I looked at him expectantly and he nodded, understanding that I liked the name especially.

"I'm waiting for it," I mumbled miserably, looking at him. He gasped, frowning, and growled lowly, immediately understanding what I was thinking. So that's what he meant about mental connection. It's almost as if he actually _can_read my thoughts.

"You think…" He stopped, growling again. His arms tightened around me, comforting me as he caressed my forearms. "I will not, my love; you are the only one for me. I wish you knew how much I love you."

"Oh, but I wish you knew the same," I said, unable to help myself. He inhaled sharply, before nodding.

"It is true," he said, caressing my cheek. I could hear the wanton sighs from the other human teenage girls around the cafeteria now. "It will take time for me, but I am hoping that we can develop that together, _realize_ that together."

I nodded, but then realized that there was still much to discuss when it came to the Denali clan. "So how long is Tan-whore-ya gonna be here for?"

Edward and his vampire siblings couldn't help it. They laughed loudly, throwing their heads back. But it was lost in the even louder cafeteria.

I managed to keep a straight face.

"Tan-whore-ya, my love?" Edward asked when he'd calmed down, his lips still twitching.

I nodded. "Yeah, I wanna know how long the skank is going to be here for."

I heard the chuckling, but I focused on Edward. He frowned. "Carlisle didn't know; apparently they didn't tell him when they called to notify him of their appearance."

I could tell that he was hiding something from me, and I did not like it.

"And why are they coming in the first place?" I asked, and Edward grimaced, obviously wishing I didn't ask that question. So that must have been what he was trying to hide, why they were coming in the first place.

"They heard that I'd found my mate," he said simply, but because I could read him… I knew there was more.

"And?" I asked impatiently, secretly dreading his answer. I crossed my arms, the frown on my face deepening as Edward sighed.

"Tanya did not believe that I had," he said slowly, looking at me. His eyes were pleading with me, for what, I had no idea. But I could feel the anger simmering. "So she wanted to see it for herself and then try to make me see reason; the others were merely happy to come along to meet you."

I nodded hesitantly, overcome by emotions that I couldn't really put a name to at the moment. "Right."

Edward was about to say something, but then he growled. His eyes darkened in anger as he looked over my shoulder.

I turned to see what he was growling at, only to see fucking Tyler Crowley coming up behind me.

He practically skipped to me, and I settled closer into Edward's lap, turning my body around to see Tyler. My back was against Edward's chest, and as he put his arms around me again, he caressed my sides possessively.

I stroked his arm, knowing this was hard for him. I hated seeing him worried, but the possessiveness definitely turned me on.

Was that bad, or wrong? Quirky and stupid, even?

I did not think so.

"Hey, Bella," Tyler practically shouted, waving at me.

_I'm right here, fuckhead,_ I thought, internally shaking my head at his idiocy. No need to fucking wave and shout in my face when I can see you standing right in front of me.

"Hi, Tyler," I said slowly and he grinned ecstatically, probably because I'd acknowledged him or something. I looked down at Edward's hand, which had been making a great effort to stay caressing my sides, now fisted in anger. He loosened it when I put my own over it and then he resumed possessively caressing me. I leaned into his touch, smiling at him. He smiled back, but then Tyler spoke.

"Um, Bella," Tyler said, trying to get my attention and I looked up at him.

"Yes, Tyler?" I asked and the Cullens snickered lowly.

"Um…" He was nervous. That much was clear and easy to see; my mind filled with dread.

Oh shit. He was gonna ask me out, wasn't he? Fuck, he can't; Edward will skin him alive if he does!

"Just spit it out, Tyler," I said encouragingly, gritting my teeth in anticipation, all the while hoping to get this over with soon. Edward was getting angrier and angrier with each passing second. I could feel him behind me, against me, shaking with anger. Or perhaps the shaking was merely the vibrations of his angry and possessive growl, which was building in momentum with each passing second.

Tyler, completely unaware of the angry, possessive vampire in front of him, breathed in deeply then sped forward in his attack. "Um, will you go out with me? Like… this weekend maybe?"

I sighed just as Edward growled angrily.

I ignored him and looked Tyler in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Tyler, but… as you can see, I have a boyfriend. His name is Edward and I am sitting on his lap, happily. I am not interested in anyone else and I love Edward. He's the only one for me, just as I am the only one for him. So please, don't ask again."

_If you value your life, please don't ask again,_ I added silently, mindful of Edward, who was growling behind and against me.

Edward was calming down from my words, but as Tyler started to walk away dejectedly, he voiced his thoughts, unable to help himself.

"Tyler," he growled, and Tyler jumped before turning around slowly. I knew his instincts were telling him to run, whereas his body could not, frightened into stillness. "Bella is unavailable this weekend. To be perfectly honest, she'll be unavailable every night and day, as far as anyone besides _myself_ is concerned. No offense. And I'm sorry about your _plans_."

Edward, of course, did not sound sorry at all. He sounded, felt, and looked fierce, and I couldn't help but be perpetually turned on. I rubbed my thighs together slightly, and as Tyler turned around and ran off, Edward growled, spinning me around to sit sideways on his lap. He looked at me, so completely overcome by feelings of protectiveness, possessiveness, and crazy, wanton desire, that he kissed me hungrily. I matched his need, ignoring everything and everyone else.

When he ended the kiss so I could breathe, he rested his forehead against my own and breathed a soft sigh. "Mine."

He then whispered the word with every breath and I looked at him, unable to respond.

When he calmed and gradually stopped claiming his possession aloud, I finally responded. "Yours."

He sighed and his body relaxed completely at the simple word. Simple, yet I knew how much it meant to him and what it signified… because it signified the exact same thing for me…

"My love," he said softly, bringing me out of my thoughts. I blinked and looked at him. He smiled, caressing my cheek and continued. "Do you need to go to your locker?"

I nodded, but as I made a move to get off his lap, a wave of nausea hit. I squeaked inaudibly, scrambling carefully out of his arms and half-ran outside. I heard Edward calling my name worriedly and the scraping of his chair as he got up hastily, following me out.

But I ignored him and rounded the corner, hunching over to empty my stomach.

"Oh, Bella," I heard Edward exclaim, and then he was right there, holding me and rubbing my back soothingly. He held my hair out of the way for me as I vomited over and over, unable to stop.

Eventually, when I was only dry-retching, having emptied everything else from my stomach, I straightened and walked over to the nearest bench. Ironically enough, it was the same one I'd sat down on when I cried yesterday morning.

"Bella, my dear love," Edward said and I moaned in acknowledgement. I felt too hot, way too hot, and I climbed onto his lap, huddling into him. Desperately trying to cool down, I pressed my body into and against his; he seemed to get the message as he wrapped his arm around me, cradling me protectively. "Are you feeling alright? Are you ill? Tell me what to do, my beautiful mate; I do not know what to do for you."

I breathed in deeply a few times, silently trying to calm down my stomach. "Edward, I think I'm coming down with something. But it isn't your fault, so don't you dare think that you have overworked me or whatever, or run me down because of all the sex we've been having. I love you and this came on very suddenly; in fact, the vomiting came on just then."

I could feel Edward nod slightly, but then his lips were at my ear. His cold skin and breath did something to calm me down, and I felt my temperature slowly start to come down. "What can I do for you?"

"I need water," I said, my throat dry from the vomiting. Then I realized something. "Oh fuck." I ducked my head down, embarrassment flaring. "I need to brush my teeth; my breath must smell terrible."

"Do not worry about that," Edward admonished, rubbing my back. "You are sick and you just emptied your stomach… which brings me to another question. Shall I take you to the nurse, my precious love?"

I shook my head, adamant. "Fuck no; I'm not goin' to _her_."

"Well, perhaps Carlisle?" Edward asked desperately. I knew that he was very concerned for me and he wanted me well, healthy… unharmed. "I should call him and tell him you are sick. Considering the fact that we went home early yesterday, it wouldn't be all that bad, would it?"

"No," I said, sighing, and I stood up. Edward stood up immediately after me, concern touching his face. That look made me cave. "Fine, I give up; I know you are worried, and you would feel a lot better if Carlisle examined me. Plus, I don't mind it, because I like Carlisle and I feel very secure around him, ok?"

Edward nodded, smiling that I had let him do this. He kissed both my cheeks, then wrapped an arm around my waist and guided me toward the nurse's office.

"What the hell?" I said, looking around. "Edward, what are we doing here? I told you I didn't wanna go to see the nurse. She's weird and she smells like fucking dead people."

He laughed lightly. "I know, my love, and I respect your wishes. But in order to be able to leave school for the second time in a row, she must examine you. Remember?"

I mumbled, pouting, "Fine."

Edward smiled radiantly, relief paramount on his face. I smiled to myself, happy to please him.

Ten minutes later, the freaky old nurse was holding a stethoscope to my chest and asking me to breathe. I looked at Edward to see his reactions, for not only did he have exponentially better hearing, but he had also gone through medical school twice. He was definitely more qualified than old dead-person-smelling nurse over here.

Edward was looking at me, concern-ridden and calculating.

Continuing my previous train of thought, I also knew that Edward was prone to overreacting… right?

_Fuck, there's something really wrong with me,_ I thought as I took another look at Edward's face. His face, having been concerned and pained a few seconds ago, was now emotionless, expressionless.

And I didn't like it, not one little bit.

"Alright, dear," the old nurse said and my eyes flashed back to her face. "I need you to breathe in again as deep as possible, then hold it for as long as you can. Can you do that for me?"

"Sure," I said and I looked at Edward. He was still emotionless and expressionless.

I took a deep breath, but before I could fill my lungs even three quarters of the way, I was hit with pain. Whimpering, I stopped, trying to at least hold it, but I couldn't.

Letting the breath out, I coughed so hard that my throat hurt and I looked at Edward. A few tears slipped from my eyes and he frowned, a pained look coming across his face. His hands were curled into fists and he looked like he was restraining from grabbing me and running me to Carlisle or something…

…I could understand that.

"Alright, dear," the nurse said as I coughed and spluttered unattractively. "Do you want to try again?"

Hardening up, or at least trying to, I nodded, still coughing a little.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to fight off the coughing. It worked after about half a minute and I tried again.

_And failed again too,_ I thought glumly as I hissed at the pain. My eyes flashed to Edward's face, and the same look that I saw there, when I did it last time, had intensified.

So either Edward didn't like me in pain and it wasn't that bad, or it was really fucking terrible.

Edward then looked towards the door and I got the sneaking suspicion that a member of his family was there.

A knock on the door answered my question.

"Ah," the nurse said, prancing over to the door and opening it. "Oh, hello, dear; what can I do for you?"

She kept the door pretty much closed over, so I couldn't see who it was.

But the voice calmed me a little and I looked over at Edward. He was looking at the door, frowning, so I could tell that he hadn't heard them coming, thoughts or otherwise. The only way that could happen was because he was so focused on me.

I smiled.

"Hi," the chirpy voice of Alice chimed. "Um, I saw Bella when she was getting sick and, as you know, I'm Edward's sister. I was wondering if I could come in? I called our father, Carlisle, and he wants Bella to come to his office at the hospital immediately. I've got Edward's car just right outside, so he can take her there now."

The nurse got more and more flustered as Alice continued. Finally, she jerked the door wide with a grunt and Alice walked in.

"Hello, Bella," she said, smiling calmly at me, but I could see the concern. She turned to her brother, and after a few seconds, I saw him jerk his head, nodding slightly. "Hello, Edward."

She walked over to Edward and he leaned down so she could whisper in his ear. His eyes were darting to my face every few seconds. When she pulled away, she smiled reassuringly but I could see his panic.

I bit my lip, frowning in worry.

"Edward?" I asked, looking around to see if the nurse was still in the room. She wasn't and I relaxed. "What's going on? What did Alice see?"

He ignored the question, coming up to me and pulling me into his arms. He was gasping my scent in, as if it was his lifeline. Though I could walk, I didn't begrudge him this, as I knew he was anxious enough. His mate was sick and he did not like it.

"I need to get you to Carlisle and a full complementary of medical equipment," Edward said to me, worry and anxiety in his voice. I looked up to his calculating face, and narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Yes, that'll do quite nicely."

He then walked towards the door, but Alice flashed to it and opened it for him. She murmured, "No reason to stop acting human, Edward."

He nodded to her, walking out the door with me in his arms.

Alice was at Edward's side, silent as Edward. When we came to the clear door that lead to the parking lot, I saw Edward's Volvo right there outside. She opened the door and we walked outside, with her following behind. It wasn't raining, but it was wet.

"Alice, are you coming with us?" I asked her and she looked at me. She thought for a moment, then nodded and smiled at me.

"Yes," she said in her enthusiastic voice. But I could hear the marked concern. It put me on edge.

"Alice," I said and she looked at me again. "What did you see?"

Edward went rigid at the same time that Alice frowned. I looked between them, panicking just a bit. "What?"

Alice sighed and looked at Edward meaningfully. Edward hissed, staring back.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," I said angrily, and their gazes snapped to me. By now, I was royally pissed off and looking between them. My arms were crossed and I huffed. "Just _fucking _tell me; it's me we're talking about and I have a right to know!"

"Yes, you do," Alice said persistently and Edward glared at her.

"Edward," I said, making a move to try and get out of his arms. He held onto me and sighed.

"Alright," he said almost silently. I looked at his face, and was crushed when I saw his expression. "You have a high fever and you have a sore throat, yes?" I nodded and he continued. "You also clearly have malaise—a general feeling of being 'out of sorts'—and your actions suggest that you are quite dizzy. The difficulty breathing deeply and holding it leads to a bad coughing fit. This morning, you were sneezing a lot and you commented about muscular discomfort."

"What does all of that mean, Edward?" I said impatiently, wanting to know what was wrong with me.

"That you have a very severe chest infection," he said softly, looking over me. "You will need antibiotics, which won't work for the first four days. In fact, you will get worse—headaches, chronic fatigue, nasal congestion… these will come over the coming days."

I nodded, secretly wondering if it was all that bad.

"Why are you acting like I could die?" I asked and Alice looked at Edward pointedly.

"Because I am your mate," he said softly, looking away from me. "I am protective—overprotective, really—and I loathe for you to be ill. I have waited for you for a hundred years… if I were to lose you now…"

The agony in his eyes, his face, the very way he spoke and held himself… it killed me.

I looked at the side of his face and, softly and gently, with my hand, coaxed him to look at me. When he did and he met my eyes, they were anguished.

"It's ok, baby," I said softly, smiling at him a little. He frowned worriedly, frantically looking over me, studying me for discomfort. "I'm ok; now let's get into your car and see your dad, ok?"

He nodded and Alice opened the back car door for me. I was surprised when he put me in and hastily got in with me, pulling me to his waist. I curled up on his lap and Alice jumped in the front and started the car.

"Are you cold, my love?" he asked gently and I shook my head. Nausea came over me again and I moaned. "Bella, what is it?"

"Sick… vomit," I said, breathing deeply to stop myself from retching.

It calmed just as we got outside the hospital and Edward slipped me off his lap as he got out of the car. I got out and he closed the door, only to get me up in his arms again.

"Oh, Alice," I said as we started towards the entrance.

She looked at me and smiled knowingly. "I already called Charlie, Bella. In fact…"

"Bella!" I heard the startled, worried voice of my father from the entrance and I whipped my head around, only to moan from the dizziness that caused. My father was rushing towards me and I smiled at him hesitantly. "Are you alright? What's wrong with you?"

"We're not sure yet, Charlie," Edward said stiffly, worriedly, and Dad's eyes flashed to his face then back to mine. He made no move to lift me from Edward's arms and I didn't make a move to get out of them. In fact, I settled into them and smiled hesitantly for my father.

"Hi, Dad," I said and he looked at me, startled. But, since I'd started talking, the cold air rushed down my throat, making me cough terribly again.

I coughed for around half a minute, groaning when I stopped, at the pain it had caused in my throat.

"Sore throat?" Dad asked, concerned, and I nodded. By now, we were in the waiting room and I was still in Edward's arms as we went up to the receptionist.

"Hello," my Edward said and I watched him carefully. He was uptight and concerned, his words clipped in impatience. I soothed him, drawing slow, relaxing circles on his chest, and he relaxed a little around me. But he was still speaking sharply. "I'm Edward Cullen and I need to see my father right away."

"One moment," the receptionist said in what she clearly thought was an alluring voice. Though her voice sounded like a bear choking, I started getting really fucking possessive and territorial.

_Edward is mine, fucking mine and only mine,_ I thought possessively, angrily, and I glared at the woman.

She looked back, shocked and scared, and I thought, smugly, _yeah, that's right.__Mine,__bitch._

Edward then had to try to relax me. Sitting down on a bench as the woman called Carlisle, he caressed my arm lightly. I was still uptight and angry, but I slowly began to calm down.

With my father still over at the desk, pacing, Edward leaned in to me. "Tell me what is wrong, my beautiful mate."

I looked at him. "Isn't it obvious? That fucking bitch was flirting with you."

"What?" he asked, frowning. Then comprehension dawned on his face. "Ah, the receptionist."

I snorted. "Yes, the receptionist. She was fucking all over you."

"And you got angry, territorial, and possessive?" he asked, a smile coming across his face at the same time that his eyes tightened as he thought.

I nodded, huffing.

He thought for a moment. "Just as a vampire reacts then, my love?"

I looked at him dubiously. What the fuck was he talking about?

He noticed and he smiled. I, however, frowned. "Remember, I told you that vampires are very protective, possessive, and territorial of their mates." I nodded, cocking my head to the side. What did this have to do with my reaction? "And remember how I was yesterday morning, and what I said? That the very thought of you being around men made me want to take you in front of them to show them who you belonged to?"

I nodded and then my eyes widened as I realized what I'd been thinking… what I'd done…

"Fuck," I whispered, looking at Edward, panicking. "What is happening to me? Why the fuck did I do that?"

He smiled at me, albeit hesitantly. "The vampire mating feelings are affecting you, my love… that is all. You are just acting as you would if you were a vampire, when it comes to our mating connection. It is not something to dwell over, I promise."

I nodded and kissed his lips chastely. It calmed me significantly, and when I felt another cold hand on my shoulder, I did not flinch in the slightest.

Instead, I looked up and smiled. "Hello, Carlisle."

He smiled back, surprised. "Hello, Isabella."

"Bella," Edward and I corrected him at the same time, then looked at each other and laughed quietly. That only caused another mini-coughing attack.

"I prefer Bella," I added when I stopped coughing, looking back at Carlisle, who was beaming happily at us.

"Well then, Bella," he said, looking between Edward and I once more. "Welcome to the family."

I smiled radiantly, tears welling. That Edward's creator was saying this to me… it just meant so much more… "Thank you, Carlisle. The fact that you, as Edward's creator and father, are saying this to me… well, it means a lot."

He smiled, wiping the tears from my face. He kissed my forehead and led me to his office.

"Your father is getting something to eat with Alice," he said as we walked into the elevator. We were the only ones in there and so Carlisle turned around. He looked at Edward, and whatever he was thinking made Edward growl in anger, but I could hear pain, desperation, and a hint of possessiveness too.

"I hate it when you guys do that," I mumbled and they looked at me, surprised.

"You are exceptionally observant, Bella," Carlisle said and his eyes flickered to Edward's and back so fast I nearly missed it.

"Thank you," I said, smiling pleasantly. "But I want to know why Edward growled. Why it was a growl of anger, pain, desperation and some possessiveness too. What did you suggest?"

Carlisle looked at a smug and proud Edward for a moment, then back to me, surprised. He shook his head, shaking off his thoughts before answering. "I merely suggested that perhaps Edward should continue going to school and that you stay with your father during your sickness."

The pain that shot through me at that—at hardly seeing Edward—made my knees weak, and I cried out, whimpering from the pain.

Edward growled in concern and protectiveness, catching me before I could fall to the ground. He glared at his father, who was perplexed, looking between Edward and me.

"No," I whimpered, and Edward picked me up, carrying me out of the elevator and into Carlisle's office. He immediately sat down in a chair, with me in his lap. "No, no, no, no… No, I can't, I can't. I can't stay away from you; please, Edward, please… don't make me stay away from you."

Edward was holding me, cocooning me in his lap protectively, as I sobbed and shook while the pain and hysteria rattled through my already weakened body. All the while, he comforted me. "It's alright, my beautiful mate; I will not allow anyone to keep me away from you. I will be with you, forever and always… I will most certainly not make you stay away from me, I promise. No one will."

At that, he glared at his father. Carlisle was watching us, amazed and concerned at the same time.

"No," Edward said, glaring at him again. He was answering a thought of Carlisle's. "It's not the first time that she's reacted like this to the idea of our separation, and yes; she did feel the pain of separation the night before yesterday."

"Amazing," Carlisle murmured, obviously intrigued by my reaction. My tears had calmed now and so I simply clawed at Edward. He gave me his full attention, nuzzling into me much the same as I did him.

"Could I stay with you?" I asked, curious and desperate for an alternative. "We could say that Edward is coming down with it, now that you've, naturally—as his father, a concerned father at that—checked him over to make sure. You could say that it's going around and it would be easier—since we both have a severe case that demands a lot of attention and nurturing—for us to stay together where there is a doctor present; which there is, obviously, at your house. Please? Carlisle, as your future daughter, I am _begging_you… _please_, don't keep me away from Edward."

Carlisle looked between the two of us, a confused and concerned expression on his face. He looked at Edward, only speaking aloud for my benefit. For whatever reason, that kinda irked me. "Do you feel the same about this, Edward?"

I felt a little angry, I must admit. I mean, seriously, what was so wrong with me wanting to stay with Edward so much?

"Yes," Edward said firmly, still glaring at his father. "Yes, I do, and I will not allow Bella to be alone, because you and I both know that Bella will have to stay home for the next week. This means, that if I do not see her after school as I usually do, and she doesn't stay with us… I have no time with her."

"And the pain?" Carlisle asked, straight to the point. He looked kinda fascinated… awed. I did not like it; it pissed me off.

"We both feel it, yes," Edward said, nodding his head before turning back to me and stroking my face. I leaned into his touch, the pain slowly melting away. "And the only way for it to stop is if we are together, if we see and acknowledge that we are in the other's presence."

My eyes darted to Carlisle, only to find him nodding and pacing at the revelation. I did not like that and I frowned.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to swallow back the panic.

He looked at me and then Edward again, before his eyes fell to rest on me. "May I ask you a few questions, Bella?"

I frowned, narrowing my eyes and cocking my head to the side. What was he up to? But I nodded after a moment, too curious to see what he wanted.

"Now, I want you to know that I have discussed what you said about the separation with Edward very briefly," he said and I nodded, still concerned. "But I wanted to ask you, was there any sign for you that Edward had experienced it, too?"

Instant blush. Growing red, I looked at Edward and nodded. Edward looked back at me, curious.

"When?" Carlisle asked, but his voice is a little distant. As if he's calling from twenty yards away or something.

"Um," I said, still looking at Edward. I was way too embarrassed to look at his vampire father. "When we… were _together_in… in, uh _that_way, it was like we were possessed or something, we couldn't stop touching each other, as if we were healing the emotional scars of being separated."

I glanced at Carlisle, wanting to know what his reaction was. He was nodding, intrigued.

"And if you see another woman who is obviously flirting or who desires Edward," Carlisle said, choosing his words carefully. "What do you feel?"

I thought for a second. "Angry, possessive, protective… I kinda get a bit edgy, stiff… just like Edward does when guys at school are thinking about me or trying to get my attention or something."

He was nodding again, but his expression was becoming more and more excited. "Very interesting… but just one more question. Vampires are, by nature, very possessive creatures, especially when it comes to their mates. We feel, sometimes, that we must speak our claim or have it confirmed. Have you ever felt that need?"

I nodded, looking at Edward. He smiled at me and mouthed 'yours'. I relaxed into his arms, smiling.

_Mine; he is mine,_ I thought smugly.

"And perhaps just one more," he said curiously. I rolled my eyes but didn't say anything. "Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your love? And, Edward has spoken of the electricity you feel… I will have to talk to Eleazar about that and see what he has to say. It is most interesting; I have never come across it in my years. But then again, I don't know many mated pairs that share all _three_connections."

"Um, one second," I said, trying to process everything he said. "To answer your question, yes there has been one time in particular that I was overwhelmed. It was yesterday in biology; the lights went off and the electricity hummed to life… but it was much more intense than anything I had ever experienced before with Edward. It was just so… so strange. I couldn't stop myself; I had to… to _have_him. And I was thinking 'Only for me. I get him forever. I get _this_forever. Mine, this amazing creature is _mine_. Always.'"

At this revelation, Edward's head snapped up and he gasped. He grasped my head in his hands, forcing me to look at him. His eyes… all I saw was love, devotion and a strange kind of awe.

"Oh, Bella," he said, looking at me, overcome with emotions. "I didn't know… oh, I should have known… you really…"

He kissed me then, hard, passionate, and raw with need and want. It made the blood that flowed through my veins boil and I couldn't stop myself. I kissed him back, just as fiercely… I let go of all sense and control, reveling in the feeling of him kissing me like this…

This was… intense. I mean, since day one of our relationship, everything had been intense, but this… there was no marker, nothing like it.

But that was when I realized. I replayed his words through my mind.

And then it all clicked and I stopped. I paused and Edward pulled away. Tears sprung to my eyes, and as they flowed down, I looked at him.

My mate, my Edward… my lover and companion… forever.

"Oh god," I croaked out and when I looked at him, I realized that he was feeling like this too. We were having a moment again. "You-you realized, you really know now, don't you?"

He nodded, looking into my eyes as if he were seeing right to my soul. I sought out his eyes, desperately trying to hold back my frantic tears. Illness, sickness, weakness forgotten, I gripped him, his forearms, and I crashed my lips to his again.

He growled, then purred as I moaned then whimpered, our emotional tides matching, down for down, high for high.

He had realized. He knew… he knew how much I loved him, and he loved me all the more. I could see it, his love for me…

…And that was when I realized it. That was when _I_ saw it.

His burning, wanton… desire-filled… irrational… intense love… for me; all… for me.

How? How could this amazing Angel… this godsend, possibly be meant for me?

He gasped, looking at me. Having stilled when I had stilled…

"You know?" he cried in exultation and I nodded, tears blurring my vision. I couldn't see him, but I could feel him… his love and his joy…

…But that wasn't the best part. No, the best part was knowing that it was all for me.

"Mine?" I whimpered out, tracing his face, memorizing it as I desperately begged him to confirm it. I needed to know for sure… to be certain.

He looked at me, then he answered firmly and wholeheartedly. "Yours."

That word did something to me, and as a surge of power, wholeness and love, joy… every color of the emotion rainbow passed through me… I felt the change. The overwhelming… change, and then I knew. It was him; it always had been and always would be.

Forever, I thought, the word echoing ominously in my mind. And that was when all the insecurities and doubts for our relationship left me…

…Because I knew he would be mine forever and that no one could take him from me.

And I also knew that he was coming to terms with that fact too.

"Mine."

But then it was his turn. "Mine?" he asked brokenly, back to the way he was before my declaration.

"Yours," I said, completely over my—_our__—_moment.

He relaxed, reaching for me desperately. We embraced, unmoving, for several minutes.

"Incredible," we heard from across the room and we looked up to see Carlisle staring at us. He was concentrating on something, but I couldn't be sure what.

"Carlisle," Edward said meaningfully, his eyes darting to my face and back. "Are you articulating that this is not the norm for other vampire mating couples?"

He was worried, I knew that, and if I was honest with myself, so was I.

"What?" I asked, my voice bubbling with hysteria. "How can that not be normal? I mean, surely…"

"None of the other couples in our family have had experiences like that," Carlisle interjected, then he nodded his head. "Although, yet again, none of us have the three connections; we all have the emotional and physical connection, but are lacking in the mental connection. You two obviously have that."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, confused. "So… so you're saying that the fact that we are on the same mental wavelength and we can finish each other's sentences and stuff like that… that's all the mental connection? That's why we have those… _moments_."

"Precisely," Carlisle said, nodding. "And please, Bella, do not fret. It is not a bad thing to have the three connections. It is, in fact, a great thing. We will have to ask Eleazar about it though. He'd know more than I do."

We nodded, that conversation effectively over… for now.

"Now, I must tell you, Bella, that we have a situation." I frowned, but he was smiling reassuringly. Surely it wasn't too bad then. "Bella, your condition isn't contagious."

I thought for a moment, still determined to stay at home. "Yeah, but we can just say that it's going around."

Carlisle thought for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose that could work; it is true that these conditions—while they aren't contagious—_do_go around."

"Good then," I said, still cradled in Edward's arms. "Because I'm sorry to be terribly blunt, but I refuse to be separated from Edward. It's just too painful."

Edward growled at this, a protective sound. He cradled me tighter to his body and I let him, not minding.

Carlisle nodded. "That would only be fair."

I nodded back at him, concentrating on a struggling Edward. "Love, calm down; it's ok and I'm fine. Alright?"

He nodded, burying his head in my hair. Inhaling my scent deeply, he gradually relaxed around me, purring at the sensation.

"Right; well, Bella," Carlisle said as he snapped out of his fascinated haze. He walked over to a tray and got out a thermometer. "I need to check your temperature."

He put the thing in my mouth, under my tongue. I stayed there, not moving and not speaking until he brought it back out of my mouth. He looked at it, frowning, and a panicked growl rumbled from Edward.

"Your temperature is 102 degrees Fahrenheit," Carlisle said, in full doctor mode. Edward, however, was panicking. "That's quite high…"

"Is that normal for this kind of infection?" I asked, worried about Edward's reaction.

"Not normally," Carlisle said as he felt my forehead with his own hand; the coldness of his skin was good and I kinda leaned into Edward, wanting more of the same coldness, only just from him. "It is not unheard of, and though there is more likelihood of it happening in children rather than in adults, it's not a bad thing. It is merely your body trying to fight off the infection." He smiled warmly and reassuringly at me, going over to the tray again.

I nodded and Edward growled worriedly. He really was telling the truth when he said they had a growl for every emotion.

"Did the nurse at school perform any tests?" he asked and I nodded.

"She tried to get me to breathe in as deep as I could and then hold it," I said and he nodded to himself.

"And how did you fair?" he asked, looking at me.

"Not well," I said carefully, not wanting to upset my protective Edward any more. "I, um, couldn't fill my lungs even three quarters before I felt the twinging pain; then I tried to hold that but I couldn't. It resulted in a bad coughing fit, hurting my throat."

He nodded and then smiled. "Alright, so Edward was right in his prognosis, of course. You have an upper respiratory tract infection. The pills I will give you are for five days, a refill option there if you need it. Take one in the morning and one at night. From how you are doing and your temperature, as well as other symptoms, I'd say you will need the refill, but it is early yet. You will stay with us and the Denalis are still coming down."

I was mortified. "But I can't meet them like this… maybe it _is_best if I stay at home."

"No," Edward whimpered, panicking and holding me tight. "I need to stay with you, always; especially when you are sick. And besides, Tanya will not have the time of day with me if you are staying at the Cullen house and you are sick. She will not like it one bit, and she will see how close you are to the family."

"And you must understand something, Bella," Carlisle chimed in and I looked at him. He smiled warmly and I frowned, confused. "Though they may not voice it, none of the family really likes her. We will help you prove to her that you are mates, and strongly matched ones at that. All will be fine and it will work out."

I nodded, calming down. "Ok… and sorry; I just don't like the thought of meeting her… especially when I'm sick. But, I am known to pack a punch when I am."

They smiled and chuckled, mirroring each other.

"Do you know how to fight, Bella?" Edward asked, distracting me with his curiosity.

"Baby, I'm the Chief of Police's daughter," I said sweetly and he growled a sexy and desire-filled growl, all because of what I called him. I swear I heard him mutter 'vixen' to himself again and I smiled in satisfaction. But I carried on, ignoring the reaction. "Of course I know how to fight and protect myself."

He nodded, but I could see a glint in his eyes… was that _pride_?

It felt strange… that someone might feel that for me. It was not a common thing. In fact, I don't think anyone ever had felt that for me. But Edward was different; he really loved me, just as I really loved him.

I knew that now.

"So," Carlisle said, breaking into our little… thing. "I think we need to go downstairs and talk to your father about you staying with us, Bella."

"Alright," I said, making a move to get up.

But Edward, being the protective and possessive vampire mate that he was, would not allow me to walk. He picked me up and carried me all the way, holding me in the elevator as we returned to the waiting room.

I kept my head on his chest, listening to his rhythmic, even breathing and before long, I gave in to the sleepiness that had been growing on me the whole day…

_oOoOo_

When I woke up, I was lying on something comfy. Cold, stony arms were wrapped around my waist, and my leg was wrapped around something.

Opening my eyes, I saw that that 'thing' was Edward.

I smiled at him, laying my head back on his shoulder as he stared at me.

"Hello, my dear," he said and I smiled groggily.

"Hello, my Edward," I said, yawning. "Where am I?"

"We are at our cottage," he said and I looked around.

"Ah, right," I said, humming in acknowledgement. "But what are we doing down here?"

"Well, you see," he said, playing with a strand of my hair. His body was numbing the aching feeling that was going around throughout my whole body and I smiled, leaning into him. "Esme had thought of buying a bed for my room at the main house. She was going to set it up in my room as you were sleeping, but because you were so fatigued, I desired for you to sleep on something comfortable and familiar. Plus, it has the added advantage of being ours, and I thought we should take advantage of that fact. And so, each night, for the duration of your stay, we will come back here. We will spend the rest of the day up at the main house, if you desire. It is really easier than any other option."

I yawned again, but nodded. Secretly, I was giddy to be here in our cottage again. "What time is it?"

"It is five at night, my beautiful mate," Edward said and I sat up, only to feel a surge of dizziness.

Moaning, I lay back down and Edward simply held me.

I breathed in and out, deeply. Everything was still spinning, my vision blurry. I tried to get up, but fell back several times.

"Edward?" I called, feeling as if he was a million miles away.

"Yes, my love?" he asked, and he wrapped his arms around me again, only having removed them since I'd wanted to get up.

"Why am I so dizzy?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "I mean… is this normal? To be… _this_dizzy?"

Edward thought for a moment, "I suppose it is not; but your case seems to be intensified… everyone is different, my dear love."

"I love you, Edward," I said and he purred, nuzzling his face into my hair.

"I love you, my sweet Bella," he purred and I sighed in content.

Edward started humming an unfamiliar tune, and I let myself fall asleep again…

…Dreading the next day.

* * *

><p><strong>Next chapter is indeed going to be fun. It is already underway. I hope you liked this and the meeting with Carlisle. I personally thought that was very funny. But anyways...<strong>

**What do you guys think? Remember to review - which is love - and tell me.**

**Oh and those of you who don't have accounts, I have made it possible for there to be annonymous reviews. I hope that helps. This story is really going quite well... it is second of all my stories for Favourites, third for alerts. The only area in which it is lacking is reviews. 2 a chapter is nice, but not great. It is coming equal last in reviews. Out of all my stories.**

**So please... as said above... tell me what you think by reviewing! Don't be shy... even if it's a smiley face, it's better than nothing!**

**Bexie25**


	7. What I've Been Living For

**Hello Everyone**

**So... I'm sorry this took so long. I had trouble writing it... and now it's turned out to be my favourite chapter. You'll see why.**

**For arguments sake, though I OWN NOTHING OF THE SONG OR TWILIGHT, let's just say that Edward wrote the song that he sings at the end of the chapter. It was in Breaking Dawn anyways. It's called Turning Page by Sleeping At Last.**

**I STRONGLY suggest listening to it along with Edward's performance of it. You will be reduced to tears. I was when I proof-read.**

**Anyways... thanks everyone!**

**Read, review and enjoy!**

*******A/N: 23/7/2013****– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*******

* * *

><p>"What time do they get here?" I asked. I was sitting—or rather <em>nestled<em>—on the couch, in Edward's arms. I was wrapped up loosely in the rugs, but Edward would not stop touching me.

Which was good. Because occasionally I felt way too hot… and that's where Edward's vampiric nature really came in handy.

"Half an hour, my beautiful mate," he said, nuzzling his face into my shoulder from behind me.

Since Edward had carried me up here from our cottage, he hadn't moved from behind me. I had to admit that he was helping with the pain and such. His touch—everything about him—was helping me, distracting me.

To divert myself from Edward's distractions, and therefore what was about to come, I thought about this morning.

_When I woke up in the morning, everything fucking hurt._

_I breathed in, only to find that my nose was blocked._

_Great,__ I thought unhappily, __fucking great._

_I felt the traitor tears before I could stop them, and I buried my head into the crook of Edward's cold, comforting neck._

"_My precious love?" Edward asked, enveloping me in a hug on instinct._

_I could only fight off the sobs for so long, however, and as soon as Edward heard them, he grew stiff and pulled back to look at me._

"_My love?" he asked, thoroughly confused and worried._

"_Edward," I whimpered, trying to pull him back to me, but he wouldn't allow it._

"_Please tell me what is wrong," he begged. I looked into his eyes—those beautiful… black eyes—and even in their darkness, they were smoldering._

_I raised a hand and traced just under them; there were bags there. They were purple, bruise-like shadows, barely noticeable._

"_Bella," Edward begged, breaking through my trance._

_I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. By now, the tears had stopped flowing—thank God—and I was just trying to get the erratic hitching under control. "I can't meet them—__her__—like this, Edward. I mean, what is she going to think? Not only am I human—a lowly human at that—but I'm an inept, sick, fucking blubbering mess of a human!"_

_Edward growled angrily, his blackened eyes growing ever darker, if that were even possible. "That is thoroughly untrue, my beautiful mate! You have a very severe case of an upper respiratory tract infection. Do you have any comprehension of the struggle I am going to have today? To keep you as well as you could be in your condition, of my possessiveness… the mere_thought_of you being on display to_any_vampire—much less a vampire who desires me for one reason or another—absolutely infuriates me. Especially in your weakened state! I will be by your side at all times, catering for you, waiting on you hand and foot, trying to make you as comfortable as possible. And I am doing all of that because. I. Love. You."_

_He separated those last four words, pleading with me to understand._

_I was blown away; my mind and rational thinking had disappeared._

_It was so selfish of me, that I had not taken Edward's feelings and worries into account._

"_Oh my god," I whispered, backing away from Edward, horrified by myself. I got off the bed, still backing away. Edward followed me, crawling across the bed ever so slowly. He did not move off the bed, however. "How could I… I am so selfish!"_

"_Selfish?" Edward asked, surprised beyond words._

"_Yes, selfish," I hissed back, angry at myself. "I can't believe that I was so… caught up in myself… that I didn't think of you and consider how you were feeling. Some_mate_I am!"_

_Edward growled; it was a broken sound. I looked at him carefully, warily, worried._

"_Bella," he whispered, appearing before me and grabbing me up in his arms in a flash. He dragged us back onto the bed and I huddled into him as he rocked us back and forth. "Bella, that is utterly absurd. No vampire has ever had such a gift… the gift of you; you, my love, are my reason for being. You are not selfish, you are pure. You are so very pure and good that I worry sometimes that I may taint you with my otherness."_

"_But that's impossible, Edward," I whispered to him, trying to comfort him from his ridiculous thoughts about himself. That was going to have to stop. "I love you more than anything else and I am not good and pure. Not as much as you think. In fact, I feel that I may taint you with_my unworthiness_… sometimes."_

_He growled and kissed me, effectively ending that conversation…_

"Bella?"

Edward's voice shook me from my thoughts and I looked up at him. Of course, the speed at which I did that made me impossibly dizzy and I closed my eyes, resting my head on Edward's cold shoulder.

"Are you alright, my dear one?" he asked, leaning down so his lips were at my ear. I was merely a little jostled, because Edward was so careful… especially now that I was sick.

"I'm fine," I said and I heard him grunt disapprovingly. Ah, right; he hated that phrase. "Sorry, love. I _meant_that I am alright. I keep forgetting that you don't like that phrase."

I looked up at him and he smiled, nuzzling his nose on my jaw, rubbing his scent on me. I liked it. Oh, how I liked it and I started doing the same to him.

I didn't care that his family was in the room, at that moment. They could wait. And, they could look away.

But then, I felt Edward stiffen.

So they are in his hearing range, I guessed.

"Can you hear their thoughts or just physically hear them?" I was hoping he knew what I meant by that convoluted question.

He smiled. "Only their thoughts, my lo-" He broke off with a growl. Pulling me closer to him, he stared into space, listening to their thoughts.

"Love?" I asked, shifting in his arms so that I was facing him, straddling his thighs. "What do you hear?"

He growled under his breath incomprehensibly. "_Tanya_."

"Ah," I said uncomfortably, shifting a little and laying my head and hands on his chest. Every line of my body, every contour and curve and dip, was covered by his skin. Completely skin on skin, we relaxed infinitesimally.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Carlisle watching our interaction. Fascination and awe, even astonishment, coated his features and I smiled before closing my eyes.

Edward tensed, clenching and unclenching his iron fists, which lay on my back, every few seconds. I drew careful, calming circles on his chest. It helped… alas dismally.

It wasn't until I heard the sound of a car—travelling _much_ too fast—suddenly come to a stop outside, that my breathing ceased and my body tensed. My head angled itself, on instinct, to look Edward in the eyes.

He was looking at me, his gaze so intense that I knew he was trying to distract himself by looking at me. I looked back at him, just as intently. As the rest of our siblings—I smiled internally at that… _our_siblings—went to greet the guests at the door, Edward held me fast against his body.

"Calm, my love… my beautiful mate," he said passionately, nuzzling his cheek against both of mine ever so softly. I sighed, trying to do as he asked. "You have nothing to fear. My love for you and the attraction that you hold for me has no bounds; it is permanent and unbreakable… especially when it is compared to the vulgar feelings that I have for Tanya Denali."

I smiled at his olden-style speech, the distraction enough to calm me. Somewhat.

"What are we going to do, Edward?" I asked, but at that question, the most ridiculous—and horrifying—possibilities came to mind.

Tanya kissing Edward… Edward responding to said kiss…

Even more ridiculous ones than that—and yes, most of my mind understood that that _was_preposterous, but it didn't block the images and thoughts—flooded through my mind. Tightening my grip in Edward's shirt, I clenched my eyes closed and reveled in his cold, stony, but yet somehow _warm_embrace.

The electricity, comforting and flooring as it was, was present too. We reveled in it, sighing and purring.

There must have been hesitation on the Denalis' part, because suddenly, the resounding, methodical slam of four doors made me jump, then whimper as I leaned into Edward's arms again.

The sudden amount of air that rushed down my throat and into my lungs caused another coughing fit; Edward hissed, concerned, and Carlisle jumped in to reassure him.

"It's alright, Edward," he said and the calm in his voice made Edward relax a little. I, on the other hand, was still coughing terribly. Edward seemed to snap out of his half-calmed pose, and was immediately rubbing my back and comforting me. But Carlisle carried on. "It's just the surprise and worry that she's feeling—Jasper told me she was feeling—combined with her illness."

"I know," Edward growled, protectively and harshly, but I knew he didn't mean to. It was the stress of our current situation. Well, that and my illness, of course. "But that doesn't mean I have to be tranquil and composed about it. You wouldn't be if Esme was this sick."

I tuned out everything else, trying to end the painful coughing fit. It was clawing at my throat and making my whole chest hurt. Not the easiest thing to ignore, that.

And then… the front door opened.

My breath hitched as I heard it.

Hesitantly, I looked around the room, but it was empty, which meant that Edward's parents and siblings were there to greet the guests.

"Carlisle, it's been too long, my dear old friend." It was a male voice. From what I was told, there was only one male in their family. So this was Eleazar, then.

"Yes, it has," the pleasant voice of Carlisle said, and it rang through the house somehow. "I am very glad that you have come, but I must warn you of something."

"What is it, Carlisle?" a female voice asked. It was a motherly voice, though not as lovely and reassuring as Esme's. I was guessing, though sick I was, that that was Carmen.

"Edward's mate, Bella… she is sick at the moment with a chest infection. Due to the fact that she and Edward are newly mated-" I heard an undignified snort, short and proper, and I knew instantly that it came from Tanya. I stiffened and Edward growled, rubbing my back, trying to not only calm me, but himself as well. "She and Edward cannot be parted." I swear I heard a huff. Looking up, I saw that Edward was angry. Really angry. I shivered as my mind wondered what thoughts could have made him look like that. "Esme refurbished a cottage for them not too far from here. She is sleeping there, but will be here from when she wakes—or not long after—until she is tired. Edward spends the night there with her."

"What?" a shrill, uptight voice shrieked. Tanya.

"You heard Carlisle," Esme said, her usually gentle voice now hard and uncaring. I realized, with a gasp, that she was defending me. Me… against their 'cousins'. "Edward will be staying with Bella, at all times. She is unwell, and as her mate, Edward is naturally worried and anxious. Not to mention protective, and the many other things that he would be feeling now."

I heard another snort, exactly the same as before. "Oh please," Tanya said, laughing curtly, "A human for a mate?"

Edward growled, the sound resonating through the thin walls of the living room and into the next. The furniture shook a little, almost like an earthquake. I whimpered, clawing at Edward's shirt. He stroked me, whispering sweet little nothings every now and then.

They had been here less than five minutes, and the ridiculing had already started… great.

Edward looked down at me, his gaze fierce. "It is alright, my beautiful mate. I will not allow anyone to ridicule you or put you down. I will protect you, my dear love. From anything."

I heard another bitchy whine, but this time I worked to ignore it.

"Oh and Tanya," Rosalie said and I perked up to hear what she was going to say. "Don't say anything to Bella. Edward will fucking _rip_ your head off. She's had a hard, tough life and she doesn't need anyone _else_spewing shit at her."

"And what?" Tanya said, and I could almost imagine—almost, as I didn't really know what she looked like—see her and Rosalie, neck and neck. "Are _you_going to stop me?"

Edward and Emmett growled, Edward standing up with me and holding me behind him. I clutched at his shirt, the only thing that kept me standing upright. Edward then twisted his hands back to hold my hips, the electricity comforting me as it grew the more we touched.

I could imagine that Emmett was doing something of the same nature.

"Enough," Alice said, her voice hard too. "Tanya, you wanted to meet Bella. Let's go into the living room so you can do just that."

I breathed shallowly as I heard them make their advance, trying to stop myself from vomiting.

"Bella?" Edward asked, reaching back to gently draw me from behind him.

I nodded, standing directly in front of him. I knew I felt and looked horrible, and I couldn't help but whimper when he wrapped his arms around me.

But then they entered the room, and I may or may not have stopped breathing.

As they came into view, I saw what they were wearing first. I was mortified… because I was wearing light grey sweatpants and a long, cotton, blue top.

The Denalis were obviously the dressy type, more so than the Cullens.

Carmen and Eleazar, the only mated pair in the family, were easy to pick out amongst the strangers. They were dressed similarly to each other: designer plain blue jeans, slightly faded, but in a stylistic way, along with nice, slightly dressy shirts. Eleazar wore a black one, while his beautiful mate wore a soft purple one. Eleazar wore black, closed formal shoes, his mate wearing cute, black flats.

The other three women were also dressed similarly to each other. They were slightly dressier, all wearing tight-fitted dresses. Two of the sisters' dresses fell to their knees, colored black, while the other sister's dress fell to mid-thigh in red. They wore the same heels, though the color depended on the color of the dress. You could tell, just from their clothing, that they were seducers of men.

I was assuming that the one in red—in the sluttier dress—was Tanya.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked, his voice snapping me from my thoughts. I looked at him slowly, smiling. "These are our 'cousins'… the Denalis."

The male and female, who were obviously mated, came up to Edward and me first.

"Bella," the woman said, smiling softly. I smiled back, hesitantly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the woman who has captured Edward's heart at last." I blushed at her kind words at the same time that I heard Tanya huff. My eyes flickered over to her; she was crossing her arms under her breasts, deliberately pushing them up.

But I focused on the two vampires in front of me. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, too, Carmen."

She stepped back and her mate, named Eleazar from memory, stepped forward to greet me. "Hello, Bella."

That was all he said, but then his eyes flickered up to Edward's. He looked at him meaningfully, and I tried to suppress my curiosity.

Edward noticed and he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "He wants to speak to us later, my beautiful mate."

I heard Tanya huff at the cute name that I loved. I ignored her as best I could.

"Irina, Kate," Carmen called and they came forward hesitantly.

"Hello," they said, one after the other, keeping their distance. They were eying Tanya carefully and I knew that was the only reason that they were holding back.

"Tanya?" Eleazar said, his gaze hard.

She glared at him and Edward growled.

After a few seconds of just staring, in silence, I decided to bite the bullet.

Not moving, I smiled with fake warmth at Tanya. "Tanya… hi. It's lovely to _finally_meet you. Edward's told me _so_ much about you."

Emmett laughed and Jasper chuckled. Only Edward, ever the gentleman, had somehow managed to refrain from laughing out of all the members of the Cullen family.

Tanya was standing there, her eyes full of rage… probably from being embarrassed in front of so many people. As if the Cullen children actually gave a shit. "Has he now?"

I nodded, not scared of her. Miraculously, since she entered the room, I hadn't been scared. That was probably because I could see that she wasn't Edward's type. Not that Edward _had_a type… she just wasn't… _me_.

I grinned at her. "Of course he has. He's told me_all_ about you and your… trial and errors—but mostly errors—in ways to get my Edward."

She sneered at me, growling a little when I called Edward mine. But he was just that, and I would not back down.

She smirked and I smirked back, a sort of 'show down' coming on. We made our way to each other, meeting in the middle, still staring at each other with hard eyes.

"You are _way_ in over your head, plain-Jane," Tanya said menacingly. Edward snapped his jaws furiously at her, coming closer. I lifted a hand to halt him and he stayed put, sighing and muttering. His hands were still clenching and unclenching.

My eyebrow arched. "Well at least my head is filled by _something_, Blondie."

"With what? Air?" she asked and I cackled.

"No… something you obviously don't have."

"And what's that?"

"A brain."

She snarled and snapped her jaws. Throwing herself forward into a crouch, she was about to pounce.

But I was still very much not scared. In fact, I found it hilarious.

Edward, of course, did not see things the same way.

Flashing across the room, he grabbed me and situated himself in between the air-head blonde and me.

Tanya straightened up instantly and looked at Edward. "Hello, Eddie," she cooed, obviously thinking she was attractive or something.

I huffed a laugh; her tries were pathetic.

"Tanya," Edward growled and her eyes grew wide… probably because he had the nerve to growl at her. "Do not call me Eddie."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, only aggravating Edward further.

"Whatever you say," she said. She obviously thought she was being seductive, but she wasn't. I giggled at her attempts, stepping forward and into Edward's embrace. He nuzzled his nose into my hair and I kissed his neck in response.

He purred deliciously, ignoring our audience.

"Excuse me?" Tanya said impatiently, walking toward us brashly. She pushed me out of the way carelessly, and of course, me being human and frail with sickness, I fell to the floor with a huff.

But before I could make a move to get up, Edward was there, growling, his eyes black with anger. He pulled me up and cradled me protectively. His angry growl then morphed into my special one, and I relaxed into his embrace.

"Bella, my love, are you alright?" Edward was in full panic mode. I understood where he was coming from, trying to soothe him, but he wouldn't listen. His mate had just been pushed over, while she was sick, by a jealous bitch for a vampire. "Did you fall too hard? Are you feeling alright? Is the dizziness worse again? Any-"

I interrupted him, putting a finger on his lips. He looked at me, desperately and brokenly and frantically. "I'm alright, baby. Don't worry, ok? I'd tell you if anything was… worse than before."

He nodded, momentarily appeased, then turned to Tanya. "You will not touch her. If you _ever_do that again-"

"Oh, but Eddie!" the bitch whined. I was instantly jealous. "I was just so glad to see you!"

I couldn't help myself; I got out of Edward's arms and walked up to her. Face to face, I could see how beautiful she was. Her strawberry blonde hair was curly, her face angular, yet those angles were soft, somehow managing to stay feminine and pretty. Her golden eyes were piercing, but attractive. I could definitely see the succubus in her.

"Listen, curly," I said rashly, getting angrier by the second. "I don't give a _fuck_about what you say about me. I don't _care_ that you hate me. And I don't care that you want to kill me, or whatever the fuck you want to do to me. But the thing that _really_gets me going, is the fact that you think you actually have a chance with Edward. Get it through your fucking _air_-filled head. Edward. Is. Mine. He always has been mine and he always fucking will be mine. He doesn't accept your advances and it's about time that you saw that."

She edged away from me, but I followed her. "I'm sick, I know, and I'm human. I get that I'm not beautiful as you are-" Edward growled at that, muttering loudly about how wrong I was and how I never saw myself clearly. Though flattered, I ignored him "-and I know that it isn't common place for a vampire and a human to mate. But we have. So face the goddamn, fucking music and see that your conquest is over. Your pitiful attempts at trying to get Edward are over. And if you know what's good for you, you will leave him the fuck alone and accept that. Ok?"

She growled, looking at me and then Edward. "Fine," she said, her black eyes scorching. "I'll play nice. But just you wait… sooner or later… he's going to drop your sad, human ass. You have no idea of how to satisfy his needs… _sexually_ or otherwise."

I smiled sweetly and laughed. "_That_ is where you are wrong. If anyone can satisfy my Edward, it's me…" I looked over my shoulder at him coyly and he gazed at me lustfully. "Isn't that right, baby?"

Edward was at my side then, and he pulled me into his arms. Kissing me passionately, he did not even attempt to tone our kiss down. Instead, he thrust his tongue into my mouth and I moaned into his, the feeling of his cold tongue swirling around mine making me crazy.

When he eventually pulled back, he was purring and panting at the same time. "I love you, my dear one," he finally managed to get out.

I smiled back at him, nuzzling my nose against his cheek. "I love you more."

He chuckled, still holding me. "Irrevocably and unconditionally… forever."

I smiled, tears forming in my eyes. I choked those beautiful words out. "Irrevocably and unconditionally… forever."

A throat was cleared, bringing us back into reality from a shorter one of our 'moments'.

"Sorry," we whispered, still looking at each other.

"That's quite alright, Bella… Edward," Carlisle said pleasantly, and we looked at him thankfully. "But, Eleazar was hoping to talk to you. Would you mind if we all joined?"

I looked at Edward, waiting for him to reply. He looked at me and I merely shrugged. He looked at Eleazar. "Of course you can talk to us now, but please… keep in mind that my Bella is sick and she needs her rest."

Eleazar smiled. "Of course, Edward."

We sat down on the couches, Edward and I resuming our previous position, wrapped up in a blanket or six, together.

I settled into his arms, focusing on Eleazar.

"Carlisle talked to me briefly last night about what happened yesterday at the hospital." He said this, looking only at Edward and I, and we both nodded. Looking around, I saw the Cullens nodding vacantly as well… so they all knew then. The Denalis probably all knew as well, but they didn't feel the need to show it.

"Now, he told me the questions he asked you and your answers." To this, we all nodded again. "Now, Bella, are you aware of some of the technicalities of vampire mates?"

I shook my head, frowning.

He nodded to himself. "Alright. Well, in the vampire world, vampires are tied to one being… their soulmate. They are connected through multiple connections. Most are connected by two: the emotional and physical connection. Those vampires, while their mating connection is strong, are not as well-off, I suppose, as the vampires that are connected by all three. But those are very rare—_extremely_rare. Some of those connections are stronger than others. Yours, for instance, is the strongest I've ever seen. And I've seen three of these connections in my existence. These vampires, who are connected in all the possible ways—that being, they are connected emotionally, physically, and mentally—have unique interactions and… qualities, I suppose."

He paused, letting that sink in.

"What are those interactions?" I whispered, but everyone heard me.

Eleazar smiled at me once again. "Mates that share all three connections are connected to each other much more intricately than the others that only share two. They feel the electricity that you feel, and as you both have had, when they have instants of heightened electricity, they have moments where they are overwhelmed by their love for one another. It is usually at the same time. Also, you are bound tighter than normal mates are. You literally cannot live without each other; if anything were to ever happen to either of you, the other would have no choice but to be killed. It is intense, and while other mates are bound together tightly as well, they do not have the overbearing pain that captures all their senses in such a way as yours does when you are separated."

"Anything else?" I asked and Eleazar nodded.

"Some mates share or discover special powers, particularly if they have the same creator. This, again, depends on which connections they share."

He looked at Edward again, who inhaled sharply. I frowned, my head snapping up to look at him.

"What?" I asked, looking from him to Eleazar.

Suddenly, Edward smiled, or rather beamed. He looked down at me, taking my face in his hands, cupping it ever so gently, as if he were holding a fragile soap bubble.

"What, baby?" I asked, smiling at him as I mirrored his actions.

"You are most certainly gifted, my beautiful love," he said and I smiled at the name. He once again took that into account.

"Gifted?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean… gifted?"

"He means, Isabella," Eleazar cut in and I paid attention to him, "that after your transformation, as a vampire, you will be able to read minds along with Edward. The only way that you can do that is because you share the mental connection with him. But your powers do not end there… you will also be a physical and mental shield."

"Shield?" I asked, confused.

Eleazar then went on to explain what a shield was, and I was just blown away.

To think that I could do that… that I would be able to do that when I was changed… it was amazing. I was really relieved, but what warmed me the most was Edward's pride and eagerness. He was as amazed as I was, but he was in awe of me.

Over and over, he called me the cutest pet names. My gifted one… my beautiful shield… my protecting, gifted mate… the list went on, but those were the ones I liked the best.

He knew that, of course, and he did not stop.

As the day wore on, I got worse and worse. Everything that I was already feeling got even worse, intensifying to a point where it almost became unbearable.

A sniffling, fumbling mess, I started crying. Of course, this freaked Edward out to no end and eventually, Edward told everyone to vacate the room so he could help me with my sickness.

He sung a beautiful tune that calmed me in just half an hour, and eventually Edward allowed everyone to re-enter and join us.

When night came, we were talking amongst ourselves enthusiastically, about a variety of things.

Tanya, true to her word—for now at least—kept away from Edward and me. I smiled to myself, happy that I had gotten through to her about this… at least for now.

"Bella, my love?" Edward said and I looked at him, smiling blissfully.

"Yes, baby?" I asked, yawning.

"I was wondering if I could play something for you," he said to me nervously, and I could see how hesitant he was.

I frowned, wondering why he was so worried. "Of course you can, baby. You don't have to ask me… you never have to ask me."

He smiled radiantly. "Thank you."

He then turned his attention to the other vampires in the room. Calling their attention, he waited for them to be silent. "I want to perform something for my Bella. You are all welcome to listen."

They all must have told him through their thoughts that they would listen, because he made his way over to the piano silently and no one moved from their seats.

Sitting down on the bench, he quickly tested the keys. Smiling, he turned around, but his eyes were only on me.

I was much the same… naturally.

"My love," he said and I smiled. I felt that this song was going to make me cry… or perhaps it would be his words that started it. "Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars—points of light and reason… And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty…. but there was also a sense of love and belonging… of completion. I love you, my Bella. More than I thought I could ever love a woman. More than anything else in the world… and I hope this shows you just how much you have influenced my life and how much I adore you… how much I will always love you, my beautiful mate."

And then he nodded at Alice, who had somehow moved over to a CD player. She smiled at him and nodded back, signaling that she was ready.

At the same time, he took a deep breath and began to play.

The love that shined through in just the instruments was astonishing, and I found myself crying already.

The piano was beautiful on its own, but before long it was joined by strings… violins and the like, that harmonized perfectly.

But then, Edward took one last deep breath and sung the most beautiful and heart-felt lyrics in the world.

I gasped.

"_I've waited a hundred years,_

_But I'd wait a million more for you._

_Nothing prepared me for,_

_What the privilege of being yours would do."_

His voice was beautiful, like a chorus of angels blended into one voice. Gentle as a whisper, and yet strong at the same time… slow and peaceful, but conveying such emotions… it amazed me.

I started to sob, just a little.

But then the instruments grew in momentum, and I swear I fell just a little more in love with my Edward.

"_If I had only felt the warmth within your touch,"_

The pure and utter love and adoration in his voice amazed me. The longing was there, ever so slightly but I could hear it. He was beautiful. His voice and the instrumental that came with it grew ever more, only to drop back. But it grew with each line.

"_If I had only seen how you smile when you blush."_

He smiled at that line, still not looking at me. But, god, how I wished he would. But then his voice grew to its strongest, his emotions tangible. He was crying; I could see that. I could feel everything he was feeling, and he was beautiful… almost enough to make me wonder why he could ever love me. But instead, I listened to his explanation.

"_Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough,_

_I would have known what I was living for all along."_

He looked at me then, and he smiled softly. I gave him a watery smile back, crying a little more when he repeated those five precious words. They told me how much he depended on me and my life… on my love.

"_What I've been living for."_

An instrumental came again, and the music was growing to a powerful crescendo of his love. I was crying so much that I nearly couldn't see him… but somehow, I managed.

The next words were all I had to hear… they explained everything.

"_Your love is my turning page,_

_Where only the sweetest words remain._

_Every kiss is a cursive line,_

_Every touch is a redefining phrase."_

He blew me away. That this man could feel so much for me… I was gone. I couldn't speak… his words meant everything to me. They were all I could hear. Our eyes connected again, and he sung the words to me, so proudly that they burned themselves into my heart without my letting them.

"_I surrender who I've been,_

_For who you are._

_For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart._

_If I had only felt how it feels to be yours,_

_Well I would have known what I've been living for all along."_

I whimpered at the words, hoping that he knew that every one of them were how I felt for him as well. He was my mate, he was mine… and he was so very beautiful.

"_What I've been living for…"_

The music dropped to just the piano then, faster than before… melodic… beautiful and mesmerizing.

I was in awe of my mate.

But then, it grew, adding other instruments…

There was a dip in the musical pitch…

And then those last beautiful lyrics of the bridge.

His voice grew in momentum with every line, signifying that his love grew stronger and stronger with time.

"_Who would tether,_

_To the story we must tell._

_When I saw you_

_Well I knew we'd tell it well_

_With a whisper,_

_We will tame the vicious seas._

_Like a feather, bringing kingdoms to their knees."_

An orchestra of instruments grew and then dropped back, leaving just a few left until the song ended.

All was silent… but the soft, ever so silent crying on my part.

I sat there, unmoving…

Then I bolted across the room and threw myself into Edward's arms.

* * *

><p><strong>I told you it was emotional, did I not?<strong>

**Oh well... I loved it.**

**Now... I wanna know if you did. So please review and let me know.**

**Thanks everyone!**

**bexie25**


	8. Mine

**Hello,**

**Yes, I know it's been a while - considering the usual updating patterns for this story - and I apologize. A lot have happened and unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to my laptop and trade it in for a new one... well, really it was more of a swap, but oh well. I backed everything on my laptop up, though so it's alright... nothing has been lost.**

**Now, this chapter is short, I know but I really wanted to get something out and I was satisfied with the length of this one. Next chapter will be longer and come out faster, I promise.**

**Now... by now, you should know my motto.**

**Read, Review and Enjoy!**

***A/N: 23/7/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.***

* * *

><p>He caught me, of course, and I didn't waste even a second. Smashing my lips to his, still sobbing, I kissed him passionately.<p>

Edward froze for a split second before he kissed me back just as eagerly. Knowing that I was sick, he tried to tone it down to make it easier for me.

But I was just so very desperate. I knew what was going on. I was having another one of our moments… only this time, Edward wasn't there with me. He was comforting me instead.

But all common sense and thought was thrown away when his cold tongue swiped against my hot lip. I eagerly widened my mouth, whimpering in desperation when I felt his tongue sweep through. Clawing at his clothes, he tried to calm me, pulling me into his lap.

I wound my legs around his waist, still whimpering as I tried to get closer. I needed to get closer. It was all I needed, the desperation clogging every need.

In this moment, I wasn't sick… we weren't in a room full of people… we were alone. It was just Edward and me and this… this _primal need_.

It was lustful, but desperate, loving, caring, careful… it was all for comfort. So I knew he was real and that he loved me… as if that song hadn't been enough.

Never breaking the kiss, he stood up and led me carefully out of the room. Moments later, I felt the cool air of the night, alerting me that we had gone outside.

Still not breaking the kiss, Edward ran. Caressing all over, again and again, he neglected no part of me.

Then there was softness; my back was pressed against something and I broke the kiss. Looking around, I realized we were in our room in the cottage, lying on the bed. Again, Edward didn't leave time for me to think. Pulling the shirt over my head, he flung it across the room.

He leaned back and simply looked at the newly exposed skin, licking his lips as his black eyes pierced through me, peering at me and the exposed parts of my body in want. I was sweating a little, but rather than being repulsed as I kinda was… he liked it. I guessed it smelled good to him. He looked into my eyes, and we silently conveyed our love for one another. Ever so slowly, he leaned down and kissed me sweetly, gently… but ever so passionately.

As our tongues collided, we sighed and purred happily. My hands came up from my sides and wrapped around his waist, just at his hips, but as the kiss accelerated, the desperation and need climbing to the brink, they slipped up to his shirt. Frantically, I unbuttoned it.

My hands were shaking with need, though, and it wouldn't work. I broke the kiss and looked at it, annoyed. I grabbed the top of his shirt, just where the buttons began and pulled. It ripped apart, the buttons flying everywhere.

"Damn," I sighed, saying it both in disappointment of the shirt being broken now and the fact that his gorgeous, pale, and manly chest and stomach were now in view. My hands were flat on his chest and stomach, roaming. Edward purred, nuzzling his jaw against the side of my face. I hummed, moaning slightly. "I really did like you in that shirt."

"I have more of them in that color," he said cheekily, still nuzzling.

"Hmm, good," I sighed, not caring anymore anyway.

I wanted to see more of him; pushing against him with all I could, I looked into his eyes desperately. He saw what I wanted immediately and lay back on the bed. I smiled at him and got up.

Shredding my body of my jeans, I eagerly climbed back on the bed to straddle his hips. My hands were roaming, feeling his ice-cold skin. It was glorious.

Edward's eyes—already black from the need to hunt—glinted with desire. The moon's reflection shone through the window, making us glow, but Edward… he looked… supernaturally beautiful… more so than usual. Or maybe that was just me, because he was looking at me as if he was thinking the exact same thing that I was, about me.

"Fuck the foreplay," I whispered and Edward growled at my swearing, arching his back. Feeling the evidence of his need for me, I backed up to straddle his thighs, looking at his jeans. "How much do you want me, baby?"

Edward growled, a low, keening sound and I nearly melted. My hand made its way to his jeans and I palmed him, feeling his rock-hard length as it twitched in need.

"Copiously, Bella," he growled out. "Please, my love, I-"

"Shhh," I hushed him and he breathed in deeply, trying to calm himself. I stopped palming him and unbuttoned his jeans. I dragged the zipper down slowly… oh so very slowly. "Let me take care of you, baby," I cooed and he licked his lips, staring at me with a need that sent shivers down my spine… in a good way.

"You're sick, my love," he said, trying to reason with me. He gulped a little, arching his back when I took hold of his erection.

I ignored his reasoning, and instead continued my ministrations. I pulled the jeans down to his thighs, only to find that he had nothing on beneath them.

"Edward," I said cheekily, squeezing him then smearing the pre-cum over the rest of him. "No underpants?"

He shook his head, closing his eyes and grunting as my hand moved up and down his length. He twitched with need and I whimpered, licking my lips. Stopping, I let go of his length and moved down to drag the rest of his jeans off.

When they were off, I gathered them in my hand and stuck my hand out above the ground. Releasing them, they fell to the ground with a thud. Ignoring his thick, long length, I moved up to straddle his stomach.

Edward's hands came up as soon as I was in reach and they moved around to the back of my bra. Unclipping it, he dragged the straps down hastily, catching the rest of the bra before it could fall. I lifted my hands from his chest and he pulled the bra off, dropping it to the ground.

Then his hands were there, cupping my breasts, and he brushed his thumbs against my nipples, making me coo a moan; it was a long sound, gruff and needy, and he seemed to like it. He looked me in the eyes, squeezing my breasts as he did so. The feeling was amazing and I pushed into his hands, whimpering for more.

I wrapped my legs around his hips as he lifted his top half off the bed. When he sucked a nipple into his mouth, I grabbed his hair, pulling his head closer to my breast, holding him there. He nibbled, sucked, lapped, bit and flicked my nipple, only to pull back and give the other the same treatment.

He pulled away, only to look in my eyes. "Bella, I need you. I feel that I might explode if I don't take you now."

I nodded, unable to speak, my breath hitching as he lifted my hips and ground his tip into my heated, saturated flesh.

"I would taste you first, my love," he said, his cold breath filling my senses, "but I'm afraid that will have to wait."

Then, he slammed me down on him at the same time that he took the second nipple in his mouth, flicking and sucking and biting. I cried out, overcome with sensation.

Rocking against him, I rode his length. Up and down, forward and back.

Then Edward controlled our movements, his thrusts hard, deep and so. Fucking. Fast.

"I love you," I whimpered out, climbing toward that abyss of bliss and fulfilment. From the animalistic growls and purrs, he was in the same position. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."

"Mine," he chanted, telling me over and over that he loved me. "Mine, my Bella… you're mine!"

"Yours," I hissed, tumbling over the edge of pure bliss. Calling each other's name, Edward and I came… perhaps the hardest we ever had.

I knew that was because of all that had happened today: meeting Tanya, standing up to her for myself and for him… and then all that stuff about us as mates and our connections and our gifts, then his beautiful representation of love in that song… and lastly, the all-consuming moment I was having.

I nestled into his body, still on top of him with him inside me as he threw the sheet over us. It clung to my sweating body, but I didn't care. Caressing and kissing, we never separated.

Falling to sleep with a smile on my face, I looked forward to the next day… because surely, Tanya understood—to some extent—our powerful love for one another…

~O~

I woke up with a start.

Jumping from the loud crash, I sat up, holding the sheet over my naked body, holding it to my breasts. Edward sat up along with me and growled, turning me around and hugging my front to his chest, hiding my naked flesh from the world. We looked toward the place that the sound had come from.

"Edward," I whispered, pulling his arms around my waist. "Edward, what the fuck was that?"

He smiled at me, but it didn't meet his eyes. "Tanya, my love. Do not ask me when she got here. I haven't the faintest idea."

I frowned. "But… but, you could read her mind, right?"

He shook his head. "You are very distracting, my love, especially when I'm inside you as you're sleeping… you mumble my name and tell me how much you love me. You tell me that I am yours and that you are, in your words, 'most certainly mine'. In fact, it is one of my favorite pastimes: watching you sleep."

I smiled but then Edward growled. Disappearing from my side, I heard the bedroom door slam and I jumped, looking toward it.

By then, Edward had returned. He threw clothes onto the bed and I quickly got up, only to have a dizzy spell.

"Oh, my love," Edward said as he caught me before my side hit the floor and he lifted me into his arms.

I didn't do anything to stop him when he helped me get dressed.

Less than five minutes later, we exited the room, only to find Tanya there. Edward insisted that he carry me, but I didn't fight him, still feeling the implications of the dizzy spell. Well, that and I wanted Tanya to see just how close we were, if I was going to be honest.

"Hello, Eddie," she said, completely and absolutely ignoring me. She walked up to him and kissed his cheek. I saw red and Edward felt my anger as I stiffened.

His arms locked around me and I tried to fight him in vain.

I breathed carefully through my mouth, releasing each breath through my nose as I tried to calm down. Edward felt me calm and loosened his arms around me, still holding me, just not restricting me.

But then I turned around and looked at Edward audaciously. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled myself up and he held me, standing me on his toes. He purred, his eyes glinting with desire again and I hummed in approval.

"Edward," I breathed over his face, knowing he liked it and he growled, licking his lips.

Oblivious to Tanya—or at least, trying to pretend we were—I leaned in slowly and brushed my lips against his. His arms tightened around me once again, though this time it was so he could hold me flush against him as he kissed me, thrusting his tongue into my mouth.

My hands moved from around his neck to the hair at the back of his head. Tugging on it hard and moaning, I sucked on his cold tongue and he growled, deepening our kiss even more as he explored my mouth thoroughly.

When I was breathless, I broke the kiss and laid my head on his chest, closing my eyes in contentment. He purred lightly, caressing my hair, and I hummed as it eased my dull headache.

"Thanks," I mumbled and I knew he was grinning now, his vampire side filled with pride that he had helped ease his mate and calm her down.

"My pleasure, my precious love," he said softly and it was my turn to smile.

"Excuse me," a bitchy, nasal voice said and it reminded me that Tanwhoreya hadn't left yet.

I opened my eyes, glaring at her. "What do you want, Tanwhoreya?"

She growled, her already black eyes flashing with anger. "I came to ask Edward if he'd accompany me hunting."

I bristled. "Sorry, but no; he's not going anywhere with _you_… ever."

She smirked at me then looked at Edward. "I didn't know you were letting your little human pet decide for you."

"She's my mate," Edward growled out and her eyes widened, shocked at his anger. "And actually, I will let her speak for me… because she is only saying what I am thinking."

"Eddie," she gasped and I chuckled, smirking indulgently.

"Do not call me that, Tanya," Edward said angrily, vibrating from the growl that was building in his chest. His arms tightened around me, protecting me, and I nestled back into his arms happily, humming in pleasure.

"But you need to hunt, Eddie," Tanya said, coming closer. I pushed back against Edward inconspicuously and he stepped back, glaring at her.

"I do, yes," Edward said, but there was an edge to his voice and I bit my lip to keep me from whimpering in desire. "However, I will not be accompanying you, so perhaps you should leave. In fact, I strongly suggest that you do."

She huffed, pouting at him one more time before turning around and flying out the door.

I sighed in relief, relaxing into Edward's arms.

"I am sorry, my love," he said quietly into my ear, kissing it and licking the shell slowly up and down.

"It's fine," I said, unthinkingly. "Sorry, I meant that it's _alright_," I quickly amended when he growled at my choice of words.

He kissed my earlobe once more. "Are you ready to leave, my dear one?"

I nodded, humming and smiling.

He grabbed me up in his arms, not caring to put me on his back again, and then dashed to the house. We were there in mere minutes, perhaps even seconds. With Edward, it was impossible to tell the time.

He only let me down when we were inside the living room, laying me down on the couch immediately. When he had me settled, I reached for him instantly.

He smiled at the sentiment and lay down next to me, pulling me gently into his arms. I huddled into them, my face burrowed into his chest as I breathed in his heaven-born scent.

"I love you," I murmured against him as the light-headedness nearly made me faint. It hadn't been the first time, but somehow, every time that I felt like that… Edward's scent halted the possibility.

"I love you as well, my precious, beautiful mate," he said and I sighed happily, humming contently in his arms.

"I love it when you do that," I said.

He chuckled briefly. "Do what, my dear one?"

I smiled at the name indulgently before I answered. "That—the pet names—I love them. All of them."

I felt rather than saw his smile. "As I love calling you by them; they show my true appreciation of you. Then again, I am also very partial to your reactions."

I smiled and giggled a little, but then I thought for a moment. "Do you like it when I call you _baby_?"

He growled then purred, effectively answering my question.

"I guess that doesn't need any further elaboration," I said, giggling a little.

Edward smiled at my comment. "No, it does not, my dear love."

Just then, the front door slammed. I flinched as the force with which it was slammed made the house frame quiver.

Edward growled, his arms tightening and constricting around me. I knew then who it was.

"Hello, Tanya," I called out, which only made me cough. It hurt and Edward rubbed my back, concerned and disapproving.

"Bella, my dear one," Edward said anxiously, "please do not strain yourself, especially not for one who shares a likeness with Tanya."

"But it _is_ Tanya, baby," I said and he purred, nuzzling his face into my neck. I released a breathy moan when Edward kissed and sucked on my throat, marking me once again.

Then he stopped, freezing. I frowned and looked down at him, wondering what was troubling him.

He relaxed a few seconds after that, just as Alice entered the room.

"You had a vision?" I guessed, looking between the two. They both looked worried.

"Yes," Alice chirped, smiling a small smile. "Your father wants to come visit you and Edward to see how you are."

I frowned. "But he can't."

"Exactly," Edward said, nuzzling his nose against my cheek and I smiled, lifting my hands to rake my fingers through his gorgeous, bronze locks.

"What do we do?" I asked as I massaged Edward's scalp. He purred and pressed his head into my hand, making the pressure that I used even harder.

Carlisle walked in then, along with Esme and Eleazar. They sat down opposite us and immediately joined the conversation.

"I believe we should call him," Carlisle said.

I frowned. "But wouldn't that just confuse him? I mean, what would you say?"

Carlisle smiled. "Don't worry, Bella. We'd simply tell him that we were calling to give him an update. We'd tell him that you were still contagious and that it was a miracle that we hadn't all contracted it."

I nodded softly, making sure I remembered what nodding usually did to me. "Ok, that sounds reasonable. And what if he still wants to come over or something?"

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to let him talk to you," Esme said and I knew these were her motherly instincts—which were ever present—coming through. "It would surely placate him."

I nodded, again softly. "That's a good idea. Thanks, Mom."

It was so casual, but still it made Esme gasp. I smiled softly as she swallowed emotionally, showing a watery smile… well, as watery as it could be considering she couldn't produce tears.

Tanya came in then, irate as usual. She sat down with a huff, glaring at me. I ignored her, but Edward couldn't and he growled at her angrily.

"Excuse me, but um… Bella?" Tanya said, her voice dripping with an evilness and mischief that made my toes curl—in a bad way. "Did I just hear you call Esme _'Mom'_?"

I cleared my throat, coughing a little. "Yes, you did," I managed to get out, though it was merely a whisper.

"Why?" she asked, pretending to be curious as she did the classic 'dumb blonde' look, twirling a piece of her hair around her fingers and looking oh so lost and confused.

"Because," I said, looking at her, "my mother isn't a very nice woman and Esme and the Cullens know that. They have accepted me as their family, and while I don't always talk to my mother, I still do sometimes—on her terms. Esme didn't want me to feel sad and alone, so she immediately said that she would be my mother," I explained, coughing and spluttering here and there. Eventually, I got it all out though.

"Hmm," Tanya scoffed disbelievingly. "Why should I believe you?"

Edward growled when I breathed in sharply, causing me to clutch my chest and moan in pain. I gritted my teeth to stop the sound from seeping through my teeth, and for the most part it worked. Edward looked down at me, concern evident on his face, and I swear I heard Tanya hiss.

"You should believe her," Esme said, rather brashly, and I gasped—which hurt, but I ignored it, only wincing—looking at her, "because it is true; she is my daughter, for all intents and purposes, just as much as Alice and Rosalie are."

I smiled, albeit watery, and looked at Esme for a moment longer before I smirked indulgently and smugly at Tanya. She huffed indignantly and sat back angrily, pouting unattractively.

Edward snorted—probably from what Tanya had thought—then looked at me. Today, since I had woken up, Edward had been very close and protective of me, our bodies always touching in some way. I knew why that was, and I decided that it was time that we discussed it.

"Edward, could we please talk about something," I asked nervously, fidgeting a little and looking down. Edward grabbed my hands and stilled them, releasing one of my hands to place both of them in one of his. Then, he gripped my chin, always gentle yet firm, and lifted my chin, making me look at him.

"My precious love," he cooed, stroking my cheek, his eyes smoldering. I simply looked at him. "Of course; we can talk about anything that you wish to discuss."

"Um… hunting?" I asked and he smiled, his eyes burning in understanding.

"Alright; what about hunting?" he asked; his lips were at my ear and he kissed it.

"Um… well, I was wondering if I could… I dunno, put down some rules on when you do it?" I asked, looking down again with worry that he wouldn't like what I was asking.

He growled and I whimpered. I swear I could hear Tanya's satisfied giggle and evil smirk. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Don't look away from me, my love," Edward said irately and I looked up immediately. His eyes were black, anger glinting within them, but there was certain tenderness there as well. "And never be afraid to talk to me about something."

"Huh?" I said, strangely in unison with Tanya. We were both confused, the only difference being Tanya's irrational anger and my happiness. It was then that I understood what was wrong, what had angered Edward: I had no confidence in our relationship, in our mating, and I should have known by now that he would give me anything.

But just as I opened my mouth to state that I understood… Tanya opened her big mouth and let it all out.

"Eddie, you can't be serious!" I heard her screech, her voice for once unattractive and completely callous. "You can't let your little human nothing make these decisions for you! This is what I was saying, Edward. You need a dependable woman, not some ugly little wretch who's going to die sooner rather than later-"

Edward's ferocious growl resounded around the house as he threw himself at her. Their bodies connected and they crashed to the ground. Before Tanya could take advantage of their situation and position, Edward grabbed her and held her against the wall by her throat.

"Do not say that," he growled out and I gasped at the ferocity of his voice, "ever. Do not threaten or hurt the feelings that my mate harbors. She is a good, beautiful, and kind woman—truly magnificent. Everything you are not."

Meanwhile, I could feel the tears prickle and fall from her words, which were no doubt true if you asked me. Edward abruptly noticed this and his head snapped around to look at me.

"Bella," he whimpered, and then his arms were around my waist, pulling my body to his, skin on skin, not even a centimeter not touching, and I simply hugged him.

But then, chaos ensued.

Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Esme, _and_Carlisle quickly came to my defense. Some were more hostile than others, but they formed a line in front of Tanya. No one spoke; they simply looked at Tanya, their expressions ranging from anger to sadness to shock… it was a colorful rainbow of disheartened emotions.

I couldn't really concentrate on them, though, or the words that the women of the family were yelling, growling, and screeching at Tanya's way.

Edward was here, holding me in his arms, rubbing his cheek all over me, and I the same. It was strange, to the outsider, but to us… with what had just happened… it was perfectly right. We were claiming each other as our own, and though it was not as elaborate as I'm sure either of us would have liked… it was still perfect.

In this moment, I knew exactly what Edward had meant when he said that he had wanted to claim me in front of all the boys at school. Of course, I had felt the same, but it was nothing compared to this.

"Mine," Edward growled repeatedly and I matched each of them with my own whimper of the same word. It was mostly for others to hear... we knew logically that we were each other's, and so we didn't need the other to prove that fact with a 'yours'.

When we had finished this intense show, we turned to our audience.

They were watching us, each of them with an incredulous look in their eyes. Even Tanya was looking at us and I detected some awe, but predominantly anger.

"What?" I asked, not even bothering to release Edward. In fact, as our instincts commanded us, we both tightened our hold on our mate.

They stood there for a moment, watching us, and it was only when I started getting a little uneasy from all the staring and attention that they blinked out of their daze. They each walked out of the room and into their respective areas without a word, or even a whisper.

"What was that about?" I asked Edward, looking at him with a frown on my face, but he was smiling, and the frown turned into one of my own smiles. He cupped my face and brought his lips to mine in a soft, endearing, sweet kiss that was so full of love that I became dazzled.

When he pulled back, he simply leaned his forehead against my own as we breathed heavily.

"I love you, my beautiful mate," he said as our breathing subsided.

I smiled, though I felt dizzy, and repeated those three gorgeous, loving words back to him. He beamed excitedly, but as I swayed on my feet, he lifted me into his arms and put me on the couch.

"Edward?" I asked as he took his place beside me.

"Yes, my precious love?" he said back immediately and I smiled.

"We never did discuss your hunting," I murmured, knowing not to look away this time.

He smiled, cocking his head to the side adorably. "And what was it that you wished to say?"

I swallowed. "Well, I was just wondering if you could hunt when I was awake and as close as you could without it being detrimental to me or any other humans. Also, could you please hunt for only a few hours at the most… no day long or weekend long trips, please?"

He smiled at me softly, leaning on his right arm to prop himself up. "Of course, my love; your wish is my command."

I swallowed again, almost feeling sick at the words that I said next. They would only cause hurt if he did just as I asked… which I knew he would. "Edward, I think you should go hunting… now."

Edward looked at me and was about to cut in, but I continued, needing to get this all out.

"No, please, Edward. I know that it hurts to even think about separation, but… your eyes have been black for I think it's two days now... and I don't like that. I won't allow you to stop hunting because I am sick or because of the pain of separation."

He looked at me brokenly and I sighed, hating myself. "Edward, please… just… _please_. You need to go hunting."

"I'm not leaving you here alone, unprotected."

"And I'm not going to let you starve," I said right back, mirroring his expression. I sighed again. "And besides… I will be protected-"

"But only I can protect you completely," he said, hugging me to his form without another word. "Bella, you are my only reason to stay… alive, if that's what I am. I will protect you and cherish you and love you… forever. I will do anything it takes to make you safe and happy well."

I swallowed. "Then hunt," I whispered thickly, trying to wipe the tears from my eyes. "Hunt; I need you well, Edward. If you want me to be happy and well… then you need to hunt. I hate seeing you like this…" I traced the deep circles under his eyes, his sallow skin still ungodly beautiful, but at the same time… he looked sick, ill. I hated it and I wanted it to go away.

He knew what I meant immediately and sighed. He pulled back to look at me. "Alright, as you wish; I cannot deny you a thing. But I have conditions."

I smiled, nodding enthusiastically, willing to do anything for him to look healthy and be fed again. "Anything, baby."

He growled and licked his lips, but continued before I could give a whimper of my own. Stifling it and my desire for him, I paid attention to what he said next. "You must call me if you need anything or if something has happened. I will call you or text you and I want you to answer it as quickly as you can. I do not mean to be bossy, but it's needed so that I can hunt without worry. I need for you to call me if the pain is too much to tolerate… however mildly. Can you do this for me, my love?"

I nodded, smiling happily. "Thank you, my Edward."

He chuckled, "anything, baby."

I gasped, my eyes widening in shock, but that quickly turned into desire as I threw my arms around his neck and thrust my tongue into his mouth, whimpering. I now knew why he liked it when I called him that… because if anything, I fucking _loved_it when he called me _baby_.

Pulling away, I breathed deeply, panting out the following words. "Say it again."

"Anything," he said, leaning in only to whisper against my lips, "baby."

I moaned and kissed him again for several minutes, passionately and crazed.

When I was tired, because I had been anyway, and being sick, you get tired very quickly and easily, Edward pulled back. He smiled at me.

"To meet one of your conditions, my love," he crooned sweetly, and I breathed in his scent as he held my face against his chest, lulling me to sleep. "I will hunt as soon as you wake up and not a moment earlier."

I hummed in acquiescence and he started humming the melody of that song that he'd sung for me. I liked it just as much as my lullaby, and it easily led me into a calming, deep sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>What did we think of that? Only reviews will tell me.<strong>

**Oh and I have a question. Would you prefer it if I PM'd everyone who reviewed and such?**

**Oh and also, thank you _very _much for the reviews. All of them, but last chapter received 6 REVIEWS... that's amazing! Thanks for all the alerts and favourites... it means a lot and it has made this story my second most successful story yet!**

**bexie25**


	9. Everything I Need

**Hello, my Dear Readers,**

**I hope this chapter isn't boring for you, I really do. I like it, but I'm not sure about the end of this chapter. Suffice to say, I need to hear your opinions on it.**

**Anyways, I have a question. Do you want any Edward outtakes? Give me suggestions and I'll write them and put them on a new story. I'll tell you when the first one is up and... yeah.**

**So...**

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

***A/N: 23/7/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.***

* * *

><p>I was awoken, for the second time that day, by a loud noise. I jumped, blinking furiously and looking around. My head hurt, and as I nestled back into the arms of my Edward, I moaned from the pain. I felt like my head was going to explode and I didn't dare open my eyes just yet.<p>

"Shh, my beautiful mate," Edward cooed in my ear and I instantly relaxed. He tightened his hold on me when I tightened my grip on his shirt. "It is quite alright."

"Time?" I mumbled sleepily, laying my head back on his chest.

"Four pm, my dear love," he said and I smiled at the endearment… especially when I heard Tanya's growl.

I decided it was time to wake up, so I opened my eyes.

"Have we called Dad yet?" I asked, yawning. Edward purred as he felt my hot breath on his chest and I smiled, kissing the spot that was now just a little warmer than usual. He groaned softly and moved me so that my face and his face were right in front of each other.

"Oh, my dear one," he said, his voice a beautiful purr as he traced my bottom lip, "how do you expect me to pay attention if you continue those cruel ministrations, hmm?"

"Cruel ministrations, baby?" I asked, nipping at his chin. "I hardly think they're cruel."

He laughed huskily. "You would if you had my… _predicament_," he said, arching his hips just a little so that his hard, thick length nuzzled my core. I gasped and whimpered ever so slightly but then he pulled back.

"Baby, we cannot do this," he crooned in my ear, and I tried to tone down my reaction to the simple pet name. "As much as we both may want to… we cannot."

I pouted and made myself pull away, getting up off the couch. I didn't even get up too quickly, but then I was falling.

"Bella," Edward gasped, catching me around the waist before I hit the ground. He pulled me back gently, sitting up and setting me down on his lap. I laid my head on his shoulder and breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm myself and my erratic heartbeat.

"Now, as for you question, my dear," Edward said, trying to distract me. I smiled into his shoulder as he kissed my forehead. "We wished to wait for you before we did that. He is going to ask to speak to you and apparently he will not take no for an answer."

I nodded slowly and continued breathing, slowly calming down.

After several minutes, I opened my eyes, meeting soft, black, hungry ones. "Ok, but before we even call him, I want you to go hunt, please."

He smiled softly and kissed my forehead once more. Then he got up, placed me back down on the couch, and wrapped the covers and blankets around me. He smiled then disappeared, only to return with a silver flip phone, placing it in my hand and curling my fingers around it.

"Keep it on you, my love," he whispered softly and kissed me once more. He breathed in deeply, readying himself…

…And then he left.

I gasped at the sudden onslaught of pain, then clutched at my chest. I groaned as the sharp pain made me lifeless, taking over my senses completely. I was barely aware of those around me, and yet I knew they were there.

Suddenly, cold arms were around me, and yet I knew it wasn't the ones that I wanted around me; it was Esme's… that just made me cry harder.

I buried my face in her shoulder as she took me on her lap and rocked me, stroking my hair. I groaned, moaned, and occasionally screamed from the pain. It just would not give up, it wouldn't lessen.

Before too long, Jasper had to leave, taking Alice with him. Uttering an apology, he explained that the pain was just too much and he couldn't handle it… couldn't change or soothe it.

It seemed like hours later when the front door opened and slammed shut. The pain—and everything that came with it—was gone instantly and I gasped, looking around anxiously for my mate.

When my eyes connected with Edward's golden ones, I smiled just a little bit. Before I even knew what I was doing, I launched myself into his arms and he caught me as he always did, crooning soft words of comfort and love.

"Edward," I whimpered his name over and over, gripping his shirt so tightly that my knuckles went white with the effort. He pried my fingers off him, took me in his arms, and ran us up to what could only be his room. When he laid me down on the bed, I reached for him and he complied, lying down next to me with a smile on his dazzling face. "Kiss me," I said, turning so that we were face to face.

"With pleasure, my sweet love," he said and I smiled at the new name.

When he leaned in, my heart rate accelerated… but it was when his cool lips touched mine that I finally felt… well again.

His tongue soon followed, swiping deftly across my lip—no hesitation because he knew I would open my mouth—and tangled our tongues together.

And we did just that; we kissed soundly and happily, greedily grabbing at flesh as both our minds concreted the fact that our other half was actually right here. It wasn't long before Edward had to break away and I didn't mind as we simply stared at each other, hardly even blinking.

We traced the contours of one another's body as we reconnected our souls, comforting the pain and letting love and happiness take its place.

It was when there was a knock on Edward's bedroom door that we returned to reality.

"What is it, Esme?" Edward said softly, never looking away from me. I smiled, scratching and massaging his scalp and he purred, pushing back into my hand for more. I complied quickly.

"We were wondering if we could call Charlie now?" Esme said patiently, but there was worry in her voice.

"Why are you worried?" I whispered before I could help myself.

"Alice said that he was going to call soon anyhow," Esme said and I could imagine the soft smile on her face. "Are you alright now?"

I looked at Edward, who smiled, and said, "We are perfectly fine now, Esme."

I hummed contentedly when he stroked my cheek ever so softly. There was still an edge that only a physical bonding and making love could fix, but for the most part, we really were perfect.

"We will be down shortly," Edward said and he got up off the bed. It was strange, the hollow sort of feeling that I felt when our skin wasn't touching, the electricity no longer flowing through my body and into his and vice versa. I gasped and reached for Edward, who immediately took me up into his arms.

"I am guessing that that's why we need to do… _that_… afterwards," I said, looking at Edward.

"Yes, it would seem so," he said thoughtfully. "The pain is not completely gone, and will only be gone once we have met the requirement of having physical relations."

I smiled. "Physical relations?"

"Making love, sweet angel." His voice sounded like honey and I couldn't help but swoon.

"Holy shit," I breathed.

He smiled wickedly, obviously knowing what he was doing to me. "And why did you feel the need to curse so?"

I smiled and giggled. "What you do to me… you'll never fucking know."

He growled at the word and kissed me hungrily, only to stop when I froze.

I hadn't noticed before, but as I looked around the room…

… There were girly things in here; in Edward's room, there were things that only girls used that I never… that weren't mine.

I became irrationally hurt and possessive. I got off the bed, looking around angrily.

"What the fuck is this?" I asked lowly, turning to face Edward.

Edward, who looked confused, frowned at me. "Whatever are you talking about, my sweet angel?"

I bristled and walked over to the couch in his room. Picking up some fucking slinky pair of… panties… I held them up with one finger. "_This,_ Edward, who's is it?"

"Wha-" He froze then growled threatening, inhaling sharply. "Tanya."

I raised my eyebrows in shock, only to get so angry that I couldn't think straight, tacking possessiveness on at the end.

"Fucking bitch," I muttered, running down the stairs to come face to face with Tanya.

She smirked at me and I… lost it.

My anger and possessiveness only made it so much easier for me to push her, face first, down onto the hard, cold floor.

She looked up, blown away by my strength, and I simply smirked, happy by my efforts and accomplishments. She shook slightly when I leaned down over her and grabbed a fistful of her hair.

"Listen. To. Me," I said slowly, threateningly, and her eyes met mine. "I can accept that you do not like me and I can accept that you want Edward because, seriously, he's a hot specimen of a true man. But I cannot accept your foolish attempts to get something that is taken… something that is _mine_. You will never have him, because I own him; _I_ have his heart, _I_ have his mind, and _only I_have his body and will experience the pleasure that he gives and receives. He is mine in _every_ sense of the word… your conquest is fucking over; done. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, inhaling shakily, and I smirked, satisfied. "Good. Oh, and by the way, you can move your shit out of his room while you're at it."

I slammed her head back into the ground, not hard enough for it hurt the ground, but at least she felt it. Then I walked away from her, satisfied with the outcome of the little chat, and walked into the lounge room. I picked up the phone and quickly dialed my home number.

By the time Dad picked up, I had calmed just enough to speak to him and not yell.

"Hello, Charlie speaking?" The sound of my father's gruff voice evoked such emotion that I was suddenly crying. However, I knew somehow that it also had partly to do with what had just happened.

"Hi, Dad," I croaked out. "It's me, Bella."

"Bella, honey?" he said anxiously, perking up instantly, the already somewhat muted sound of the T.V. in the background now completely gone. "Are you ok? How are you feeling? When can you come home?"

I laughed, then coughed as always when I laughed. "I'm, uh, I'm alright but I'm not feeling too good. I can't come home yet, Dad, and Carlisle says it's a miracle that the rest of them haven't caught it yet. Edward's just as bad as me."

"Huh," he said, somewhat disappointedly. "Well, as long as you're feeling a little better, Bells."

"I am," I croaked. "Promise."

After a bit of an awkward moment, I spoke once again. "Uh, Dad, I have to go; dinner's going to be soon."

"Oh, ok," Dad said and I smiled.

"I'll call you tomorrow, ok?" I asked and there was silence on the other line.

"Sure, Bells; only if you're up to it," he said and I smiled.

"I will be," I said sweetly, now completely calm. "Bye, Dad."

"Bye, honey," he said back and the line went dead.

I sighed and hung up, letting the current situation take itself on my mind. Without distraction, the pain, which had been there anyway, got worse.

"Edward," I gritted out, my fingers gripping the table to stop me from falling.

I felt his presence before I felt his skin, but then I was in his arms and he was holding me as if his life depended on it.

"I am so very sorry," he whispered brokenly in my ear. "Please know that I had no idea; I did not know that she had been in my room. I have not entered that room since the beginning of your illness. In fact, I don't believe I have been in my room since that first night we experienced the pain of separation. I had been wholly in a daze when we lay down on my bed after I returned from hunting. I did not even smell her scent."

I breathed in his scent, the pain evaporating, and I sighed. "It's ok; I overreacted. I was just… so angry that another female's belongings were in your room. You are mine and it… I was so territorial and I couldn't control myself. I lashed out and I'm sorry for that."

"Nonsense, my dear love," he said, kissing my forehead. "The trouble was all me and it will not happen again. Now… what would you like to do?"

"I can think of a few things," I said saucily, snaking a hand under his shirt, caressing his stomach and licking my lips at the way his muscles clenched.

"Never has a better idea been thought," he whispered and then I was in his arms, running through the forest.

Deciding to test him, I started kissing and sucking and nipping the skin of his neck. It worked; he faltered, but he was already in the cottage.

For the first time… we were not going to make it to our room. We made it to the lounge room before we simply fell to the floor. Before my back hit the ground, Edward flipped us and I landed on top of him, comfortably.

This wasn't going to be sweet and loving… this was need: unadulterated need.

This was going to be hard, deep fucking and I was thrilled.

Stripping ourselves of our clothes, we gripped each other's flesh, kneading and rubbing. Edward was playing deliciously with my breasts, just the way I liked it. It was enchanting and excellent…

… But I needed fucking _more_.

"More," I groaned, raising myself up and grabbing his erection. He hissed, his head falling back as he leaned up to take a nipple into his mouth. He growled wantonly and I smirked, satisfied.

Before Edward could react, I slammed myself down onto him. Edward roared in ecstasy and I screamed, both of us equally amazed by the feeling that the speed and depth had provoked. Edward gripped my hips tightly, his mouth still torturing my nipple, and he guided us into a hard, deep, and fast pace.

Soon enough, a finger was there too, rubbing at my clit furiously, and I climbed up to the edge of bliss and pleasure even faster.

I gripped his hair, tugging back, and his lips fell away from my nipple. He looked at me, his eyes black with desire… for me, only for me, his mate… and I blew.

"Mine," I yelled as I came—pulling Edward along with me, who roared, arching his lower back—so hard that it blew me away. When yelling and screaming just couldn't suffice, I tightened my grip on his hair and smashed my lips to his. His tongue thrust into my mouth and I moaned, not even having the amount of patience in me to let me be surprised with my forcefulness.

Falling onto Edward, we panted deeply, my sweat enough for the both of us. Edward looked at me and kissed me slowly, lovingly.

Several minutes later, only one clear thought dominated my mind.

Now that the overpowering neediness was gone, I was going to make love to my mate properly.

Edward seemed to be thinking the same thing, because he rolled us over, holding his weight off me, and got up, pulling me up in his arms as he went. Then, he carried me into the bedroom and softly, oh so softly, he laid me down on the bed.

I moved up to place my head on the pillows and he climbed on the bed, crawling after me. Dropping a kiss to each spot of my body, leaving not even a millimeter untouched, he worshiped me.

Eventually, he had made his way up my body and we were face to face. I smiled softly at him, caressing his cheek before cupping it. He took that as a sign and leaned down to press his lips to mine. He kissed me, tongue and all, so softly, so reverently, and so perfectly that I was nearly weeping by the time that he broke the kiss.

When he did, he hooked his arms under my thighs and wrapped them around his waist. He rubbed the tip of his engorged, hard, thick length against my dripping center and I moaned.

"Please," I whimpered, rubbing my cheek against his and he purred, rubbing back.

"I love you," Edward whispered, pulling back to look in my eyes as he entered me slowly—a stark contrast to what we had done not twenty minutes before.

"I love you," I whispered back and when he was completely buried within me… I felt like I was at home. It was strange, that feeling… but only Edward could ever give me that—that sense of belonging and love and being needed. "Oh, so very much."

Edward smiled and then leaned down, very slowly and reverently, to take my other nipple in his mouth. I moaned, smiling, and my head dug even deeper into the pillows, my neck arching as he sucked hard. Noticing that there was another opportunity to mark me, he licked my nipple once more and then danced his lips up to my neck, only to nip and suck at the most visible part of my neck.

I licked my lips as Edward pulled back slowly, only to thrust back in, just as slowly. I bit my lip, whimpering, when just a finger slid down, tracing the skin of my stomach and abdomen, my mound and then down to my clit, which it rubbed in slow, torturous circles.

"Kiss me, Edward," I begged and he released my neck, licking his way up to my lips. Our lips did not touch as he swiped his tongue across both lips then thrust it into my mouth. Immediately, he turned his head to reach in deeper, which in turn made his lips connect with mine. I smiled in the kiss, moaning, and he groaned in return. He retracted, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth, nipping on it deliciously.

His thrusts began to pick up in pace and I began to thrust ever so slightly in unison with him, increasing the friction and adding pleasure. I whimpered and he purred as we climbed steadily to our peaks and when we reached it…

… We fell, crying out each other's name.

~O~

"I know you do not want to face her, my love," Edward said, caressing my naked back as I looked into his eyes, pleading with him, "but we have to go back; they will be worrying about you. They love you as a member of the family, my dear one."

I sighed, pouting, only for Edward to lean in and kiss me. I giggled, kissing him back and tilting my head to the side. He climbed on top of me, but we both knew that this would not be another session of making love… it was distraction for a few more minutes before we headed back into the world around us.

Eventually, I knew that one of us had to break the kiss. With a sigh, I did.

Edward cupped my face, looking into my eyes, sympathy there, but I knew he was feeling the same.

"Come on," I said, frowning. "Look, I don't wanna do this and I know you don't either… but, if we are going to, we are going to do it now. Otherwise, I won't get out of bed, and that means that you won't either."

He smiled and nodded, retreating from me, and then helped me out of bed.

I had gotten somewhat better and was now able to dress myself, but Edward, ever the worrying and endearing mate, insisted that he get my clothes for me and help me with them. I admit that when I put them on, as I did anything, my muscles hurt, but it wasn't as bad as it was before.

Having spent four hours down here, in our little getaway, our cottage, it was time to get back and socialize… and Edward and I were not looking forward to it. The situation we had been in minutes before we had left had been less than satisfactory and we had just gotten over the tension. We both doubted that Tanya would be very cordial and we were not looking forward to such a tense situation again.

We got dressed slowly, smiling and caressing, kissing and touching as we did so, saying goodbye to each other's naked body for a few hours.

When we were dressed, Edward grabbed me up in his arms and ran us silently to the house. It was comforting and nice, a rarity for us with anyone but each other. There were many moments of peaceful silence between us when we were alone, and with what was coming, we needed it.

When Edward set me down outside his house—I was surprised that he had; he hadn't since I had come down ill—our fingers immediately intertwined and we walked into the house.

Esme was the first to come and greet us. "Hello, dears," she said motherly, kissing each of our cheeks. She smiled at us warmly. "I'm glad that you came back. Tanya deserved what you said, Bella. You really are my daughter."

I smiled and blushed at her comment and Edward kissed my cheek, chuckling.

"Thank you, Esme," I said back to her and she kissed my forehead before dashing up the stairs.

We then went into the lounge room. In there, we found the rest of the Cullens and the Denalis. It was a suspicious sight, and in response, I tightened my grip on Edward's shirt at his hip. The arm that he had wrapped around me now rubbed my hip and I leaned into him. He kissed my forehead and I smiled, but I didn't calm down.

"Hey, guys," I finally said and the Cullens looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back at them, all the while clutching at Edward's shirt. He soothed me, rubbing circles on my hip in comfort, and for the most part, it worked. We sat down, curled around each other on a couch. "What's going on?"

"Not a lot," Emmett said, but then he grinned deviously. "What did you two get up to?"

I smiled. "Healing our separation wounds…" I licked my lips, gazing off as I thought about it. Edward cleared his throat and I smiled up at him. He looked back, smiling at me, his eyes slowly seeping to darkness.

I inhaled and looked away.

"And how did you do that?" Emmett asked, only for Rosalie to hit him over the head.

"How the fuck do you think?" she hissed and he lowered his head.

"Sorry, guys," he murmured and Jasper, Alice, and I snickered, while Edward chuckled.

"It's alright, Emmett," I said and then we slipped back into silence. Unlike the ones that Edward and I experienced, this one was uncomfortable… to say the least.

Sighing, I looked at Edward, who then immediately twisted me around in his lap. We sat right in front of the radio and I put it on, only to find that one of my favorite songs was playing. I sang along with it, softly, but that didn't mean that no one heard me.

Only Edward knew that I was musical and it thrilled him to no end. Knowing that we had that in common, yet another little thing, made him so happy.

But he had yet to hear me sing, or at least, sing properly.

Suddenly, Alice squealed and I looked over just in time to see her jump up from the couch and bound up the stairs. This happened at the same time that Edward groaned.

"What?" I whispered in his ear.

"Alice is hiding something from me," he said and I frowned, confused as to why that would make him groan. He understood immediately and smiled. "She's reciting the Australian national anthem as a rock song, in Jamaican."

"Huh," I huffed, amazed that she could even do that. "I didn't think that was possible."

"It most certainly should not be," Edward said, kissing my neck to distract himself from Alice's thoughts. I let him, getting comfortable.

But then, a piece of music came on and it was so… familiar.

I gasped, looking around the room, looking around to see where it was coming from.

Alice was standing at the opposite side of the room, smiling at me. I swallowed, getting up off Edward's lap, and then made my way toward her.

"What are you doing?" I asked her. "And where did you find that?"

She smiled. "I went back to Charlie's house and got it from your room. You were thinking of doing it; in fact, you had decided on it. I just pushed it along… we all want to hear you sing a song that you wrote, Bella—and Edward would love it if you sang the one after this one."

"But-" I stammered, but she put a finger to my lips. I stared at her finger and she laughed at the sight.

"Come on, Bella," she said then she leaned in and whispered, "don't you want Edward to feel what you felt last night?"

I gasped, quickly nodding.

She smiled and sat down on Jasper's lap.

I turned to the Cullens and Denalis—Esme having joined us by now—and smiled. "Um, guys, there's something you don't know about me; well, you just found out. I wrote a song for Edward and I want to sing it now."

Then, I looked at Edward and spoke the words that my heart had written. "I want you to hear this, Edward, and feel what you made me feel last night. I love you so much and you've given me a life that has… done something good to me. This is kind of a way to thank you, but at the same time… I want you to see how much I love you as well. Somehow, you got through to me… you broke through the walls that I had created due to my mother and you just… you've changed me and I love you so much. I used to think that falling in love was like falling into a curse. But now, I understand that it is the greatest thing in the entire world. Thank you, my Edward."

With that said, I walked over to the piano and sat down. I closed my eyes as my hands ran over the keys and I reveled in the feeling of doing this again.

I nodded toward Alice and she started the music.

When the cue came, I played, pressing down on the keys so softly that they created a beautiful ambiance of sound.

I was so nervous that I almost missed the cue, but I looked at Edward and saw him there, smiling and looking at me as if I was the savior and he were the lucky one… and I sang.

_"Remember those walls I built__  
><em>_Well, baby they're tumbling down__  
><em>_And they didn't even put up a fight__  
><em>_They didn't even make up a sound."_

Edward was smiling by the time that I got to the next verse, and I smiled as I played, as I sang, expressing my everlasting love for my mate… my everything.

_"I found a way to let you in__  
><em>_But I never really had a doubt__  
><em>_Standing in the light of your halo__  
><em>_I got my angel now."_

I smiled at that last line and he shook his head, all the while smiling lovingly. I was in tears when I sang the chorus.

"_It's like I've been awakened.  
>Every rule I had you breakin'<br>It's the risk that I'm takin'  
>I ain't never gonna shut you out."<em>

I smiled at Edward when I sang that, hoping that he could see how true that was… because I truly could not do that to him… I needed him the way I needed air.

"_Everywhere I'm looking now,  
>I'm surrounded by your embrace.<br>Baby I can see your halo,  
>You know you're my saving grace."<em>

He was staring at me, looking as if he would cry if he could. Swallowing, he breathed deeply, breathing in the love that every note and lyric held for him… only for him.

"_You're everything I need and more,  
>It's written all over your face.<br>Baby I can feel your halo,  
>Pray it won't fade away."<em>

No words could describe what coursed through me—and him—in that moment… but it was only us and this song. Everything else in the world was momentarily forgotten as I sang the rest of the song to him.

"_I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<br>I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<em>

"_Hit me like a ray of sun,  
>Burning through my darkest night.<br>You're the only one that I want,  
>Think I'm addicted to your light.<em>

"_I swore I'd never fall again,  
>But this don't even feel like falling.<br>Gravity can't forget  
>To pull me back to the ground again<em>

_"Feels like I've been awakened,__  
><em>_Every rule I had you breakin'__  
><em>_The risk that I'm takin'__  
><em>_I'm never gonna shut you out._

"_Everywhere I'm looking now,  
>I'm surrounded by your embrace.<br>Baby I can see your halo,  
>You know you're my saving grace.<em>

"_You're everything I need and more,  
>It's written all over your face.<br>Baby I can feel your halo,  
>Pray it won't fade away.<em>

"_I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<br>I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<em>

"_I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<br>I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<br>Halo, halo_

"_Everywhere I'm looking now,  
>I'm surrounded by your embrace.<br>Baby I can see your halo,  
>You know you're my saving grace.<em>

"_You're everything I need and more,  
>It's written all over your face.<br>Baby I can feel your halo,  
>Pray it won't fade away.<em>

"_I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<br>I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<em>

"_I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo<br>"I can feel your halo halo halo  
>I can see your halo halo halo"<em>

When I was finished, I was in tears, looking at him as he sat there, dazed…

… And then he came for me… as he always would.

* * *

><p><strong>What did you think of that? I liked most of the chapter... not sure about the end though...<strong>

**I need your thoughts, your opinions.**

**Please review, lovelies.**

**bexie25**


	10. Important Author Note  Please Read

_**Hi Lovely Readers**_

_**So, the outtakes 'story' for A Choice is up. First chapter is Edward's first sight of Bella. Please check them out, remember to review them and alert them too.**_

_**Thanks **_

_**Bexie25**_


	11. Irrevocably and Eternally

**Hello Lovelies.**

**It took me five days to write this, one day to edit. I believe it is the second or third longest chapter for this story. Ever.**

**A few things before we start. I was contemplating a few things during this chapter and I was wondering:**

**Should our Edward be a dirty one in the bedroom? Do we want him to speak dirty? I don't mind, but what do you guys think?**

**Oh and I'm **_**more **_**than happy to post pictures of the underwear that Edward wears in each chapter. I'm serious.**

**I was talking to one of my readers and we discussed the plot for this chapter. Unfortunately, that part - along with it's name - is in the next chapter. It was just getting to long and the ending for this chapter seemed perfect. Sorry about that, but it IS coming!**

**Also, if you guys read Vampire's Academy, then please check out the first story by a real-life friend of mine, **_**Livixx**_**. It's a Rose and Dimitri (sorry if I didn't spell that right) story. I am betaing it at the moment. It's great, really and she is in dire need of support and reviews. Please help her.**

**Oh and I'm also betaing **_**karencullen2007**_**'s story **_**Edward and Me**_**. It's got possessive, controlling Edward and it's quite sexy. Check that out – if you haven't already. It's also great and updated quite regularly. It's a revamp, as all the chapters hadn't been betad.**

**Anyways, as always, I shall part with this note:**

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

***A/N: 23/7/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.***

* * *

><p>Waking up, just a few days later, was possibly the most relaxing and lovely experience. The feeling of Edward's lips, kissing softly down my spine as he murmured a pet name, coaxing me and persuading me to wake up were all I could feel. I hummed happily, looking back at him over my shoulder.<p>

He smiled sweetly. "Hello, my love; I pray that you slept well?"

I smiled back at him, biting my bottom lip. "Yeah, I did. How did the night go for you, baby?"

He purred, crawling his way up my body, only to let himself lie down over me, his front flushed against my back, every inch of skin touching. "Very well, my darling."

I smiled at him and laid my head back on the bed, closing my eyes contently. "I am glad."

"I do wish that you are always glad," he said softly and I mewled at the sentiment.

"As long as I'm with you, I will be," I whispered back, tears in my eyes.

Since the night I had sung for my Edward, he had been even more open and clingy. I didn't mind even a little bit, instead I was ecstatic beyond belief that that was the case. I always wanted to be closer to him, and him me, even if we thought it impossible.

Thoughts were swept from my mind as Edward's fingers trailed lightly down my skin, from the swell of my breasts, to my shapely yet small hips. I licked my lips, moaning as Edward leaned down, his lips connecting to my neck, latching on to suck lightly, marking me. I arched my neck to give him more access and he moaned in appreciation. I reached back and grabbed his head, which he took as a sign of my pleasure.

He sat up away from me then, his hands and body leaving me needing and wanting more; always more.

I frowned at him. "Please," I begged, looking back into his onyx eyes desperately. I whispered one word, "more."

He groaned and flipped me over, quickly pulling on my ankle to drag me down the bed and closer to him. He wrapped my legs around his waist and I moaned, arching into him, trying to get ever closer.

Suddenly, he was looming over me, smiling down at me, his black eyes shimmering with love. But there was also a need—a fierce, fiery, all-consuming need—and I whimpered at the sight.

"I love you," he whispered as he leaned down, closing the space between our faces quickly.

"I can't live without you," I whispered back, leaning up and wrapping my arms around his neck, tugging him down to seal our lips in a fierce, passionate lip-lock. With our lips distracted, he widened my legs just a little more, shifting closer until I felt his cold, thick length graze my outer lips, brushing past my clit.

I couldn't help but gasp when he lined himself up against my entrance, only to slam into me. I moaned, breaking our kiss, arching up to him.

He growled as my nipples, which were hard enough to cut glass, I was sure, grazed his icy chest, only making them pebble harder. He flipped us over, lying on his back. Immediately, I sat up and, using his abdomen for leverage, I took over the thrusting. I pulled myself up, until just the tip of him was inside me only to slowly, lovingly slip back down over him.

I moaned quietly, feeling at peace from the sensation of being one with my mate. But as I opened my eyes and looked at him…

… I could only speed up.

Edward gasped, snarling in pleasure as he arched his lower back, his head pushing back into the mattress. His hands, which had been on my hips, trying to help, slipped up to my breasts and he fondled them, kneading them intensely, so intensely and passionately that I faltered in my steady rhythm. Edward, seeing that I was incapable of doing as well as feeling, took over, rolling us over and resuming his place on top.

He thrust into me repeatedly, gently and lovingly as he slowly worshiped my body. Leaning down, he did the one thing that he knew would throw me over the edge.

He took a nipple into his mouth—making me moan and arch—and sucked, hard and relentlessly.

Throwing my head back, my eyes rolling back into my head, I screamed out Edward's name, riding out the waves of my orgasm. Edward, unable to stop himself from falling over the edge with me, moaned and threw his head back, his sensual moan morphing quickly into a pleasured purr.

In a way, this was a sort of goodbye: a goodbye to freedom of doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Because today, the Denalis were leaving and I was going back to Charlie's.

True to my word, I actual called Dad every day, nearly at the same time for the next few days after the first day I had. Dad was unable to see me, though he desperately wanted to. We all felt that it was just too hard to tell him what was going on, who the Denalis were and why they were here. That and we had told him that Edward was sick, when clearly he wasn't. Though Edward could act—and act very well, what with the years of practice and such—I told them I would rather not put the strain on them. I wanted them to have their freedom for my stay here, as I was already causing enough problems and inconveniences.

Of course, the Cullens didn't feel that way but they didn't say anything otherwise. They knew all too well of my temper, having witnessed it unleashed on poor—or rather, not so poor, as the case may seem—Tanya.

Speaking of which, Tanya had actually pleasantly left us alone after our little confrontation. I would even go so far as to say that she was wary of me whenever in my presence. Edward and I couldn't have been happier and I, in turn, showed him how happy I was to be in his arms, as his lover and mate, the most important thing to him in all his existence.

Those were his words, not mine, although I echoed the sentiment.

"My love," Edward cooed softly in my ear, dragging me from my thoughts and back to reality. "Where did you disappear to? You were focusing so intently on your thoughts that I almost felt the need to shake you, while I normally loathe doing anything brash like that."

I smiled at his speech as it dazzled me, making me fall further in love with him for the umpteenth time. "I love you, my mate," I said and he kissed my nose softly, making me giggle and he nibbled on it softly. "And actually, I was just thinking about the past couple of days and what is to come."

"Ah," he said softly, drawing the non-word out as if contemplating what I could possibly mean. He nuzzled his nose into my cheek and I hummed, leaning into his touch.

I had not noticed, until now, that Edward was lying next to me with me tucked into his side. I hugged closer to him, trying to prolong our moment further, never wanting to leave this position.

But unfortunately, the harder, outside world was waiting on our doorstep, quite literally.

Edward growled, crawling over me under the sheets to cover my body with his protectively. He looked toward our bedroom door in anger, glaring through it and to-

"Don't glare at me, brother," Alice whined from the other side of the door. "Open up; I'm going to help Bella get dressed. Now get some clothes on so I can come in and do so."

Edward growled then huffed angrily and, still glaring at the door, he jumped out of bed, grabbing his shirt and my panties. He gave them to me, smiling sweetly before he walked into the wardrobe.

While he was in there, I got the things that Edward had given me and put them on. I could hear Edward get dressed slowly, savoring our time before his persistent sister separated us. I got dressed just as sluggishly, and when we were finally ready, I sighed heavily, walking into the wardrobe to come face to face with fully-dressed Edward.

"Baby," I mumbled as I threw my arms around him tiredly, nuzzling my face into his chest. He sighed dreamily, wrapping his arms around me, a hand on my head as he kissed my forehead.

"My mate," he murmured back, awe coloring his tone, and I leaned back to see him smiling lovingly at me, "you mean everything to me."

"And you to me, my sweetheart," I sighed back, tears forming as they always did when we got heavy and emotional.

He smiled as he thumbed away the tears and I tried to control my breathing.

A soft clearing of the throat alerted us that we were going to be interrupted. We sighed, separating and turning as we looked at Alice.

She smiled at us. "I'm sorry; I know you are newly mated but I need to get Bella dressed. I want her first meeting with the Denalis to go off with a bang. That and I want to spend time with my new sister."

I smiled, Edward nodding as we looked back at her, our aggravation no longer present as we took in her explanation.

"That's fine, Alice," Edward said and she beamed happily at him, "but don't 'improve' my Bella too much, for I love her just as she is."

Alice nodded, smiling at him, and whatever she thought to him… he liked.

Edward went out the door, and as soon as it was shut, Alice sprang into action.

"Right," she said cheerfully, as was her usual way, "I need you sitting down in here."

I frowned. "Alice, there's no seat in here. It's a wardrobe; it's full of clothes."

She laughed and I just looked at her. She stopped when she realized I was serious. "Oh, you poor, poor thing; Edward didn't show you the-_dammit,_of course he didn't."

I smiled at her, amused by her, and she just huffed. "Well, maybe you should rectify that, Alice."

"Hmm," she hummed angrily, pursing her lips. "Perhaps."

And so she led me around the wardrobe, quickly showing me the categorized clothes. Though I already knew what each one of them was, I didn't dare put a damper on Alice's shine. She was obviously enjoying showing me everything, so I let her without a complaint.

When she came to the very back of the wardrobe, she stopped and pressed a hidden button. I decided to ask her where that was later, as when she did that, the wall separated. I looked at it, gaping as the once concrete wall opened up in the middle to show… a room. I walked through slowly, thoroughly confused, and when I saw what was inside, I looked back at Alice.

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I've never had a new sister; Rosalie was a Cullen before me and, well, she never lets me dress her. Sure, she lets me help but… she's not like you. Not as nice and not as… amenable. I'm hoping you'll let me help you with that."

I smiled back at her. "Alice, you already help me; seriously, you helped me with performing that song, and though we haven't gone shopping yet as we originally planned, you're gonna help me with confidence… only it's through clothes. That doesn't happen every day. I never let anyone help me, purely because… I didn't want to inconvenience anyone and Renée would always complain. You are the best sister I've ever had, regardless of the fact that I've never had-"

My sentence was cut short when the little pixie banged into me, hugging me and squealing. I laughed at her exuberance, secretly glad that she was happy. I had never really made anyone happy before—until recently—and I was glad about the turnaround. I would never have imagined that anything like this would give me the feeling of… hope and fulfilment.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bella!" she sang happily, releasing me, only to tug me over to the seat in front of the dresser. I looked around the room at all the make-up and hair products and shit and smiled, shaking my head.

Alice really would be Alice.

"Now," she said seriously and she made me look in the mirror, "you really are beautiful, I just want to accentuate that; will you let me?"

"As long as I look nice and… suitable, then do as you please," I said, laughing softly when Alice squealed excitedly.

"Thank you," she said again and my shoulders shook slightly as I laughed quietly. "I'm going to start with your skin. It's beautiful, really, but I want to start with the make-up, ok? We might have to touch it up just before we go."

I nodded and she smiled, or beamed really, before turning her attention to my face. I closed my eyes, letting go of my insecurities as I let her work.

"Bella," she called softly and my eyes popped open.

"Yeah, Alice," I said just as softly and she smiled at me sweetly.

"You wouldn't believe how happy we are," she said and she smiled, shaking her head just slightly when I frowned, confused. "All of us Cullens, now that Edward has found you, his mate."

I looked down, biting my lip, thankful that she hadn't put any of the lip gloss on yet. "Tell me about him… about what he was like without me… before me and after we met."

Alice paused, cocking her head to the side as she contemplated the question. Finally, having thought through it thoroughly, she smiled at me and answered. "He was there, but he was without his soul, without the completion that only a mate could and _would_provide."

I nodded and she stepped out of her trance, slowly working on my eye shadow once again. "When I saw you, Bella, I can't tell you how relieved I was. We had all begun to think that he was destined for an eternity alone. To see that he wasn't… well, it was like a miracle."

"When did you see me?" I asked, looking up at her curiously.

She smiled at the memory. "You have to understand, Bella; the mating connection is very unpredictable. In fact, it's so unpredictable that no psychic in our world can predict it with much time before it is set to happen. I saw it a few moments before Edward felt the pull."

I frowned, searching her face for something. "The pull?"

She smiled again. "When we are in the presence of our special one, of our mate… even if we're just in the same room as each other, we full an inexplicable and unexplainable pull. It makes our whole body focus and a whole whirlwind of emotions wash through us. Did you feel it, the pull?"

I gasped through her explanation and when she finished with that question, I swallowed as tears formed. "Yes, oh god, yes… I did. Huh, that explains everything… how could I not know?"

"Oh, Bella," Alice said, deftly putting her tools down and hugging me. "It's alright; Edward didn't know what was going on until he felt the pull. Vampires know because it is known that they have a mate; you didn't know about our world, so you couldn't have known. And besides, Edward was very grumpy that same day until he saw you, and then a plethora of needs and wants came through him and stuck to him. That was why he befriended you and told you nearly everything so quickly and why you believed him without running away. Of course, he didn't tell you that you were mates because he was afraid of your reaction."

I listened to her, letting her words soothe me. Edward hadn't understood it, what he was feeling that day, either. I had been feeling grouchy and hadn't understood at the time, but I did now.

"What was he like… when I came but we weren't together?" I asked carefully, minding my words as I looked up at her. She let go of me and looked at me for a long moment.

My forehead crumpled. "That bad?"

She smiled sadly. "He thought you didn't feel the connection… that since you hadn't shown your feelings from the start that… you thought he was a monster and didn't want him. What was supposed to be a brilliant time of renewal was marred by the feeling of…" She trailed off and I breathed shakily, not needing—nor wanting—her to continue.

"God, I feel like a bitch," I whispered as tears trailed lazily down my face. It was mostly to myself but I knew that Alice could hear me.

"That's preposterous, my love," I heard from behind us.

Gasping, I turned around. "Edward?"

His smiling form was standing there, his eyes golden and his smile sad. He walked slowly to my side, bringing me out of the chair and into his arms.

"Never feel like that, my beautiful Bella," he whispered in my ear, kissing the shell before he released me. He smiled down at me and I smiled back as he brought his hands up to cup my face and thumb away the tears.

"I don't know why I'm so emotional today," I said, laughing through the tears.

"Nor do I, my love," Edward cooed lovingly, still rubbing the tears away. He leaned in to kiss each of my cheeks then he whispered again in my ear. "But I do not mind."

I smiled at him, giggling. "Alright, I'm better… I think… at least for now I am. Now go, Alice will kick you out if you don't."

"As you wish," he said and then he was gone.

I sighed and fell back into the chair. There was no pain, meaning he was still within the house. Alice smiled to herself, and without a word, she completed the transformation.

When she was done with the make-up, she went over to the dresses and got out a short, not too dressy, but tight blue dress. I smiled at her, knowing what she was thinking. Edward loved it when I was in blue.

"Are you sure Edward will be ok with this?" I asked, holding the dress in my hands. "He hates it when I expose myself to guys."

Alice thought for a moment. "You know, my Jazzy was the same… still is, to some extent. Alright, I'll get you some black jean-printed leggings, a sweetheart neckline, blue silk top—which doesn't have straps—and a grey cardigan. Do you think that'll be ok?"

I nodded then added, "Yeah, just no heels."

She pouted slightly but didn't say anything further. She obviously knew of my problems.

She flitted back into the main part of the wardrobe, moving so fast around the room that she was a blurred sight. I gave up on trying to watch her and sat back, sighing as I closed my eyes.

"None of that, Bella," Alice said and I felt a weight being dropped on my lap. I opened my eyes and looked down to see the clothes neatly folded on my lap. "Come on, we're running thin on time now. Oh and I'm letting you choose your own shoes."

I nodded and looked at her pointedly. She smiled and left me alone in this… whatever this room was. I deftly got dressed and walked over to the shoes section. I smiled as I looked at all the options. I felt spoiled, but I knew that Edward and Alice—and Esme for that matter—wanted the best for me, in all aspects.

I sighed as I ran my hands over all of the shoes that I could reach. From the bottom up, the order was flats to heels. The higher they were on the shelf, the higher the heel.

I wanted a miniscule heel on flats and when I found some pretty, imitation snake-skinned shoes with a black buckle, I smiled happily. Grabbing one in each hand, I put them down in front of me and stepped into them. I sighed, secretly surprised by how comfortable they were.

I went over to the mirror and smiled; there, that was suitable. I looked somewhat like I belonged by Edward's side.

"You look… impeccable, my love." The tenor voice of my mate came from the doorway into our bedroom. I spun around to look into Edward's midnight eyes and I hummed a moan. "Absolutely flawless."

"So do you, baby," I spoke through unmoving lips, a breath more than a whisper.

"I love what you are wearing, my dear," Edward said, holding my hip just where the top ended. I looked down and placed my hand over his. "But I'm particularly partial to this blue shirt on you; it dazzles me, my love."

"Thank you," I said sweetly, kissing his cheek. "Baby, we really have to go."

Edward sighed and begrudgingly picked me up his arms, running us up to the house. I leaned my head against his shoulder, loving the feeling of him combined with the feeling of the wind.

It was another wet day, perfectly beautiful. The woods looked like a whole other world, in which everything was green and lovely. I loved the beautiful, crisp green leaves that swayed when the cold air hit them... the soft cries of birds high up above… the forest floor that always seemed to be damp… it had always been really kind of beautiful to me.

Now that I was older, it was even more so.

"What are you thinking of, my angel?" he asked and I gasped at the name.

I frowned. "Angel?" I never thought of myself as an angel, and though I knew his views were biased, I wanted to know why he thought that way.

He smiled. "You are my light in a world of darkness. I love you so very much, my angel."

That was enough for me; I couldn't hold the tears back as I turned around in his arms—his arms accommodated to that and wrapped around my waist as my legs wrapped around his hips—to kiss him thoroughly. He moaned into the kiss, his fantastic running pace faltering majestically, until he finally stopped.

When he did, he held me softly to him, his tongue leaving my mouth to lick my lips for me. An idea sparked inside my head like a light bulb and I ripped away from the kiss to look at him.

"I wanna try something," I said, smiling wickedly, and Edward groaned.

"My angel," he hummed softly and I smiled the smile that he said was blinding. "Whenever you speak that phrase, you become a vixen. Would I be correct in thinking that will happen once again?"

I smiled, biting my bottom lip suggestively. "Think what you want, baby."

He smiled. "Well then, you may proceed. You know I cannot deny you a thing."

"Good," I said, nodding to myself, my eyes drifting down to his lips. I leaned in and kissed him quickly, only to take his bottom lip into my mouth. I sucked on it, feeling Edward groan as he tightened his arms around me. I hummed then sunk my teeth into his lip slowly. Edward growled and I swallowed it as I dragged my teeth against his lip.

Just when he thought I would deepen the kiss, I leaned back. I arched my hips at the same time, feeling his need for me and I smiled when he groaned as I rubbed up and down on him.

Just when he thought I would do more, I removed my legs from around his waist and slid down his body to the ground. I smiled at him as he stood there, panting, his eyes pitch black, his tongue licking his lips almost unconsciously.

"Come on, baby," I said as I released all of him but his hand. I tugged on it and he was so overcome that he came with me without a struggle.

I knew where we were; we weren't far from the main house, so I could easily walk there. I led a turned on Edward up to the stairs out the front and then turned around to face him. His eyes—oh his beautiful, black eyes—were following my every move. I leaned into him, my hands flat on his chest. I stood up on my tippy toes and whispered in his ear, "If you snap out of it and be good, I'll help you with your _problem_later, baby."

That got him into action.

Breathing in sharply, he blinked, his head jumping back slightly and he closed his eyes. He stopped breathing, squeezing his eyes shut. When he opened them a few seconds later, they were dark golden once again.

I smiled. "Good work, baby," I cooed. "Now, don't lose your desire and I'll take care of you the best and only way I can… _later_."

He nodded, swallowing, and wrapped an arm around my waist.

Edward could barely concentrate, could barely speak as we made our way up the stairs and inside the front door.

We were immediately greeted by Alice. She smiled at us warmly and tugged me through by the hand to the living room. Of course, this made Edward—who was still following 'blindly'—come right behind me.

"We're going to make this… _reasonably_ quick," Alice said and I looked at her. "They need to be back in Denali soon; they're expecting company."

I nodded and Edward looked at Alice, reading her thoughts and became livelier. I smiled in relief when I looked down to see that his desire for me had not waned in the slightest. I rubbed soothing circles of appreciation on his hand and he purred at the sensation. When our eyes connected, his were pleading with me.

I smiled sadly at him and leaned up again. "A little longer, baby, you can do it. Waiting always makes it better, remember?"

He sighed, a hint of a growl of need coming through. I let go of his hand, but he whimpered and grabbed my hand once again. I looked back at him anxiously, worriedly but he smiled a tight smile and leaned in to nuzzle his nose to my cheek and jaw. I let him, arching my neck to make it easier for him and he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

I smiled to myself, knowing that it would be like this for the rest of eternity.

"Bella?" Carmen said from behind Edward and me.

I turned around, Edward easily following my lead, ignoring everything else. This was what he had done a lot of since I'd sung. It was almost as if, though he'd already realized just how much I loved him, that song had just showed him more of my love and reassured him.

I settled back into his arms as Carmen came to me. She leaned in and kissed my cheeks, smiling at me. "Goodbye, Bella; it was lovely to meet you."

Then her eyes drifted to Edward. "Goodbye, Edward; I am so very happy that you found your mate. And I apologize for Tanya's behavior."

I smiled and nodded for Edward, knowing he had heard her but was too focused on me. "Thank you, Carmen."

She nodded once more, smiling, and then went off to the other Cullens. But we didn't have much time until Eleazar came up to us.

The first thing he said made me laugh. "Don't fret, Bella; what Edward is doing now is part of your connection."

"How do you know that?" I asked, snorting then laughing again.

He smiled. "Experience."

I nodded, and Edward purred as he nuzzled even closer to me. I didn't mind though, especially when I felt his tongue skim from the base of my neck, around my ear, and then up the shell. After that, he sucked on my earlobe and I moaned almost silently, gulping large amounts of air. I whimpered when his hands rubbed against the skin of my thighs, hips, and stomach.

But Edward's hands suddenly halted, his head snapping up ramrod straight and his black eyes—glinting with both desire and anger—searching for something. When he landed on Eleazar, he took a dragging step back, carefully, his arms around my waist tightening.

He had been in a trance of some sort, and by the looks of things, Eleazar's proximity had startled him, bringing him out of the trance.

Knowing what he was feeling, I caressed his arm slowly, soothing him. He looked down at me, his eyes returning to their dark golden color, still hinting at desire, yet the anger had evaporated. His expression and posture softened and he buried his head into the crook of my neck, once again losing himself in… _me_.

"Goodbye, Isabella, Edward," Eleazar said, keeping it short and simple. He smiled at Edward—who did not see that—and then at me. "Congratulations."

I smiled at the word which had been said twice now. I was happy that most of them were happy with Edward and me and our mating. "Thank you, Eleazar."

He nodded at me, then made his way to his wife's side.

"Goodbye, Bella," Irina and Kate said together, smiling at me. I smiled back and nodded. "Goodbye, Edward."

"Bye, Irina, Kate," I said, slowly losing focus as Edward started demanding my complete attention with his actions. I was seriously starting to lose myself in what he was doing to me, as he was with me; we were practically gasping, needing the other's scent so desperately that all common sense was overthrown.

My hand, which had been caressing Edward's arm, stopped and grasped Edward's arm. Simultaneously, I licked my lips and sighed, my head falling back on Edward's shoulder. He purred appreciatively, digging into my neck as he enthusiastically licked and sucked. I closed my eyes, tilting my head and smiling, completely blissed.

"Isabella?" I heard and my eyes popped open.

I didn't make any move, as to not anger or alert Edward as I looked at the woman who had quickly manifested to nothing but an annoyance for both Edward and me. I watched her warily, my eyes following her every move as she edged slowly closer.

"What do you want?" I asked when she paused a few feet away from me.

She sighed and looked at me, then at Edward. "I want to say I'm sorry."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "By all means," I said incredulously, blinking as I motioned for her to proceed.

She sighed again, and looked at Edward, or rather, what Edward was doing. "Isabella-"

"It's Bella," I said and she frowned, probably wondering why I was letting her—_her_, a woman I disliked with a passion—call me by my nickname. "My mother called me that."

She nodded, still watching me curiously for a moment before she continued. "Bella, I've been alone—in the mating sense—for a thousand years. I know that you know that, but I just wanted you to see it from my perspective. Your mate, your Edward, is very easy on the eyes. Not only that, but he's a vampire. Ever since I met him, I hoped he was my mate. He turned me down and I was frustrated, angry, and I'm ashamed to admit that I tried to force myself on him."

I narrowed my eyes and she stopped, her eyes asking me to listen to her. "Go on," I said flatly, swallowing my anger.

"When I heard that he had found his mate—in a human, no less; the very species that I spend most of my time on—I was jealous and angry. I had wanted him for so long, yet he had ignored me. I had slept with thousands of men—_human men_—and none of them had been that special someone, that mate for me. I wanted proof, to know that he was taken and that it was impossible for me to get to him." She looked down, deflecting. "I was arrogant about it."

I huffed angrily and Edward growled in response, feeling my ire. "What's the point?"

She sighed and looked up at me. "The point is that I am sorry for what I did during this week—everything that I did—and I hope that someday you can forgive me."

I swallowed, regarding her with hard eyes. "I don't know, Tanya; it would take a long time for me to even be able to speak to you cordially. The things that you have done…" I shook my head in disgust as I remembered all the incidents.

"I understand," she said, bowing her head, and when she resumed speaking, she didn't look at anyone. "Goodbye, both of you, and I'm sorry for everything."

I sighed in relief, releasing the breath that I hadn't realized I'd been holding when she walked away from me. Before I was able to react in any other way, however, I was facing Edward, his pitch black, desire-filled eyes boring into mine.

"My Bella," he whispered, leaning into me, the gap between our faces closing in. I inhaled his every breath, and he did the same. "Mine."

I smiled at him and caressed his cheek. "Yours…" But then I felt vulnerable for some unknown reason. I traced his lips, my eyes flashing between his lips and his eyes every few seconds. "Mine?"

Knowing exactly how I was feeling, he smiled at me. Taking my face into his hands, ever so gently, he brushed his lips against mine. "Yours; eternally yours."

I echoed his sentiment and he beamed at me.

"Bella? Edward?" Esme called, breaking through our little moment and we looked over at her. She—and everyone else—was smiling at us, lovingly and happily.

"What's going on?" I asked and Emmett chuckled.

"Jesus," he said loudly, boisterously. "I didn't know that when you had your moment, you zoned out and got all lovey-dovey like that. It was cute."

I blushed, my skin turning a sharp, tomato red, embarrassment the main thing I was feeling. Edward massaged my hips with his hands, glaring a little at Emmett, probably angry that he had embarrassed me, his mate. Emmett was unperturbed however, as he merely shrugged his shoulders.

Rosalie looked at me, smiled, and then looked at her husband. Emmett was looking at us, arms crossed, nodding amusedly, probably at his own thoughts concerning Edward's and my interactions. She sighed, shaking her head as she slowly raised her hand and hit him on the back of his head.

Emmett's hand came up to the back of his head as he hunched forward. "Ow! Rosie, what was that for?" he asked, frowning as he looked back at her.

She sighed again. "Don't embarrass your baby sister!"

He looked back at me and my blushing face then at Edward, who was still somewhat pissed off. "Sorry, Bella; I didn't _really_mean to embarrass you."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's fine; just don't do it again. I'm sure Edward wouldn't mind ripping your balls off."

Emmett looked at me, completely slack-jawed for a minute. Then, he threw his head back and laughed.

I sighed, turning away from our mad family and then back at Edward. "Let's go, baby."

Edward smiled and nodded, taking me up in his arms. He ran us quickly to our cottage, and as soon as we were inside, he put me down. He looked at me, panting with need and whimpering on every withdrawal of breath. He could smell that the desire was mutual.

Edward nearly led me into the bedroom, but I stopped. "Wait, baby."

With that said, I slithered my hands down his chest and to the button on his jeans. I made quick work of getting them off, stripping him of his underwear—a silk, mossy green pair of boxer briefs—as I went.

I looked at him as I fisted him, pumping him. He grunted and groaned, hissing in pleasure, his head falling back.

I bit my lip, whimpering at how sexual and _sensual_ he looked.

Then I dropped to my knees.

Edward, having heard the thump, looked down at me quickly. I was looking avidly at his erection, thick, weeping and cold; so hard.

Edward's hands cupped my face and he forced me to look up at him.

"My love, no," he groaned and I frowned. "You aren't meant to be on your knees before me, my dearest love."

I smiled. "I want to be."

He groaned at the words, his chest rising and falling ever so fast. Squeezing his eyes shut, he licked his lips and nodded.

I didn't hesitate as I licked his slit, lapping up the pre-cum. I hummed at the taste, licking my lips before my whole mouth descended on just his head, sucking hard. Edward growled at the sensation, bucking his hips unintentionally, making him slip further into my mouth. I moaned, the vibrations making Edward growl once again, his head falling back and his hands coming up to lock gently onto the back of my head. He slowly forced himself further into my mouth, careful to go at a pace that he knew I was comfortable with. I fisted the base of him, twisting and squeezing, just as I had learned he liked it.

I didn't stop until he hit the back of my throat, and when he did, he stayed put, holding me against him. My hands came up to cup his ass. I swallowed and he twitched in my mouth as he pulled back out very, very slowly. I let my teeth scrape hard—just so he would feel it—against his length, my tongue swirling.

Edward controlled this, but he gave me enough leverage that it felt like we were both doing it together. And we were; every time he hit the back of my throat, I swallowed, making him groan a growl-type sound. Every time he withdrew, I swirled my tongue and let my teeth scrape against him.

Soon, Edward was thrusting softly, but erratically, the pace he had created becoming disjointed. Knowing he was on the edge, I sucked harder, scraped harder and swallowed around him harder.

He grunted, knowing full well what I was doing, and before long, he was growling loudly. Our eyes connected as he stopped thrusting, holding me against him as he came and it slid down my throat comfortably. It was amazing to taste and I hummed, sucking on him, wanting more, more, more, _more_.

And I got it; as if his body knew to obey me, he came again, moaning a long, keening sound.

I lapped up everything he gave me.

When he finally calmed, he growled and lifted me up. He raced us over to the bedroom and he laid me down on the bed. As he withdrew from me so he wasn't touching me anywhere, his hands brushed down my arms, past my hips and down to my feet.

He took the flats off me, softly, as he smiled up at me and looked at me from behind his thick, dark eyelashes.

I'm pretty sure I whimpered.

He grinned wickedly, not changing the position of his head. His hands snaked up my legs to the top of my jeans and my hands twitched, fisting the bed cover in desperation.

"Shh," he hushed me, soothed me, a finger coming to rest on my lip. My lips were separated, my breath fanning out onto his finger and he swallowed. "I love you, my darling; I promise I intend to make you feel better, to make you feel good, so. Very. Soon."

I moaned, arching my back at his words and he smiled softly and lovingly at me. He quickly took off his shirt, and I watched as his bones rolled under his granite, ice-cold skin, swallowing and licking my lips. They were dry with need, with desire, and I bit my lip to keep noise from seeping through my lips.

"I love you," I whimpered back when I remembered what he'd said. "I love you and I need you, so. Much."

"I know," he murmured, unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans slowly, his other hand cupping my core. I arched again, closing my eyes and releasing a whimpering moan. I panted as I reached for Edward, but he shook his head and my forehead creased.

"Why?" I whined, unable to stop myself.

"I want to worship you," Edward said and I shut right up.

"Ok," I nodded. "But just… hurry. I swear to god, Edward, I will swear if you don't-"

Edward growled and quickly reached for the cardigan. I lifted up to let him get it off and he quickly undressed me down to my lingerie.

He paused when he saw it and licked his lips. Moaning, he traced his finger on my breast and I moved my chest further into his hand, begging him silently for his hand to cup it. He complied, bringing both hands up to cup and massage them. I relaxed into his hands, letting them turn me on even more.

But then, seconds later, he stopped. He looked down at my breasts, watching them as they rose and fell rapidly as I breathed deeply. My gasps calmed as I kept my eyes closed and I licked my lips, breathing deeply and soundly.

When I opened my eyes, Edward was still looking at them. Slowly, oh so slowly, his hands went down to my underwear. I watched him and his hands carefully; they hooked into the tops and he dragged the panties down, breathing in slowly.

He moaned when he smelled it—smelled me—and I smiled at the thought of what I had done to him and how much he wanted me.

His eyes flashed to mine and then down to my breasts.

"The clip's at the front this time," I said and he smiled, quickly unclasping the bra. He took it off deftly and then his head flew down, his lips on my nipple.

I screamed at the feeling of his cold tongue flicking my over-sensitive, tight nipple. My hands grabbed his hair, tugging back and then forward as I tried to figure out what the fuck I wanted.

"Yes," I whimpered, finally deciding that I wanted him right there at the moment. As his mouth focused on pleasuring my breasts, his right hand cupped my throat, his left sweeping down to meddle softly with my core.

I moaned at the sensation, my eyes connecting with his as he smiled against my breast.

"Fuck, shit," I mumbled unintelligibly, making him growl, my head thrashing as he thrust two fingers into my heated, soaking wet core. "Oh, Edward."

He purred at that, at the sound of his name from my lips, his fingers moving faster, his mouth sucking harder.

I was climbing up there, fast, and I was losing it, losing my mind from the pleasure I felt. It was unreal; that I could feel this amount of pleasure, the second to the best that I had ever felt, still blew me away.

"Please," I screeched out as his finger pressed hard against my clit. He rubbed torturously fast, tight circles, so small compared to what he usually did. I couldn't decide which was better, as it was already out of this world simply because it was Edward. "Edward, I need-"

Edward sat back then, his fingers slipping out of me and immediately in his now-empty mouth. He moaned, his eyes rolling back at my taste and I just watched him, panting.

When he had sucked off all my juices from his fingers, he lay down over me so that I could feel every inch of his hard, cold skin. I wrapped my legs around his hips, hooking my arms around his neck and he lifted me up so we were sitting up, my ass on his cross-legged thighs.

He looked into my eyes, and I in his, as he slowly entered me. The relief and love and completion and homecoming feeling amazed me and my forehead fell to rest on his. I watched his face, his expressions, as he thrust into me again and again, slowly.

"I need to kiss you," he whispered and he leaned in, nipping my bottom lip. I hummed and leaned closer, effectively sealing our lips together in a fierce, passionate lip-lock.

Our heated and fiery kiss only made us worse in our desire for one another, helping us climb that steep hill faster and faster.

"Edward," I whimpered, my fingers weaving through his hair at the back of his head. "Edward, Edward, Edward; mine, only mine for eternity."

"My sweet, loving angel," he groaned, swallowing hard. "Always yours, as you are mine. We shall be together, irrevocably joined for all eternity. You are a part of me," he whispered and I lost it.

I moaned out Edward's name as the release washed through me, Edward doing the same as he followed through. We kissed, turning our heads to kiss ever deeper, needing to be closer, touching everywhere, our names branding themselves onto the other's soul as they combined to become one entity.

"Oh, Edward, I love you so much, baby," I whispered into his ear, our legs twisted around each other. I was lying on his chest, my head at his neck. His length, still hard, was inside of me but we did not need to go again. We were happy to just… be.

As we always would be.

"As I love you," he said.

There was silence for a few minutes as we reveled in the love that we shared, basking in the feelings that flowed through the both of us over and over again.

"Ah, my sweet love," he said and I smiled at the pet name, as I surely always would.

"Yes, my Edward?" I asked.

"I have something for you," he said and I could hear how nervous he was.

I sat up, his length still in me, and he grabbed my hips. "What is it, my love?"

He smiled and his hands went over to his drawer. He opened it and got a small velvet box out. I looked at him, already knowing that he wasn't going to propose. Knowing Edward, he would do that a lot more thought out, and not after we had made love.

I sat there, watching him as he opened the box slowly.

"It's an eternity ring that I designed when I first met you," Edward said softly as he took my right hand in his. He took the ring out of the box and carefully slid it onto my third finger.

I gasped, my breath hitching in odd spots, and I looked down at the gorgeous, simple, silver ring. It didn't join at the front, both sides looking like non-detailed leaves. "It's beautiful."

"I am glad that you like it," he whispered softly. "I had hoped that you would."

"Of course I do," I said and he smiled. "It will never leave that finger."

He kissed the ring and then my hand, then my wrist. "Irrevocably and eternally."

"Irrevocably and eternally," I repeated, smiling at the words and what they meant.

And then he made love to me all over again, showing me through his actions just how true that statement was.

* * *

><p><strong>Well then, go check out that ring and the outfit to see if you like them. I hope I described it well enough, but just take a look anyway. It is seriously beautiful.<strong>

**Reviews make me happy, you all know that.**

**Oh and a quick thank you to you all! Everyone who has favourited, alerted and reviewed, I am flawed by your words and they are magical to me. Thank you so, so much.**

**Now, go check out those stories that I'm betaing.**

**Plus, the outtakes will be updated soon. I've writing half of multiple chapters. Does it matter to you if they are in the right order? I hope not.**

**Anyways, reviews are love. Love me to show that you love this story.**

**Till next time, ladies.**

**bexie25**


	12. Unwelcome Visitor

**Hello my dear readers!**

**I am so so so sorry! I have been so freaking busy! My sister's wedding is coming up, school work, oh and my new drabble, but we will get to that one later. Also, I had terrible trouble with this chapter because Bella just would not talk to me. And then, she did and she wouldn't shut up. :D I must have around five versions of the same chapter on here.**

**This chapter is not as serious for most of it as it was going to be; initally, it was supposed to be a big confrontation between Mike and Edward, Mike and Bella and Mike and Charlie. That didn't pan out all too well, so Bella skipped forward a little and gave me a new direction. It was a lot easier and nicer to write, as I'm sure you could imagine.**

**Now, back to my drabble. Yes, I have been writing a drabble and some if not all of you know that. In fact, a few of you have come over from that drabble and into this story. Something that I am thrilled about. It's called How to Save a Life, it's an Edward and Bella story and each chapter is around 100-150 words in total. No more, except for the A/N's.**

**That drabble has bloomed; it's got over 800 reviews and it's surpassed nearly every story in all it's other aspects as well.**

**irishnlove2shop has actually nominated it for fic of the week/month over on the Lemonade Stand. Please go and read it if you want, but it's nothing like this. It's Hurt/Comfort/Romance... sad, sad story.**

**Anyways...**** this is a loving chapter, this is an emotional chapter and this is a funny chapter. The reason that it is all three is because Bella has her period.**

**SO:**

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

***A/N: 23/7/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.***

* * *

><p>"Edward, baby, it's just cramps," I soothed as Edward rushed around my room at Dad's, nearly using vampire speed. He may well have been.<p>

"Cramps?" he asked, stopping, and my head spun around, trying to find him. My eyes landed on his panicked state and I smiled a smile that I hoped looked reassuring.

"Yes, honey," I said and he swallowed, smiling at the name. It didn't erase the panic and worry though, and I sighed. "Edward, seriously; when human women get their periods it is natural for them to feel pain. Please don't overthink it."

He frowned, sighing as he came to sit with me on our bed. It may have been strange to think of it as that—our bed—but that was kinda what it was. We shared the bed every night after all…

"I'm ok, Edward," I said again. "Please calm down, baby, and remember—Dad won't be home until tonight. It's like, what now… one pm? Until he's home, we can do whatever we want…"

He smiled, but there was still concern there. "Are you positive that you are alright?"

I smiled. "Yes; it's perfectly normal."

"I should know that," he whispered, bashful and embarrassed. "I do, in fact. I am just… uneasy."

I smiled and put my hand on top of both of his. "I know. But this doesn't mean that you have to stay away from me, does it? I mean, I know my blood could tempt you and if there's more, you know-"

"It's alright," he hushed me, smiling as his fingers caressed my flaming cheek softly. "I do not have to stay away from you—in fact, I refuse to do so. Nor does your blood tempt me—it never could, for you are my mate. Because our bond is now consummated, some of my venom runs dormant in your veins, causing you to smell like me a little more. It's a marking of you through your scent… I wish you could smell it."

He caressed my neck, resting his hand there soothingly, and I leaned into his hand. It was then that I got an idea.

"Hey, Edward," I said and he looked at me, smiling.

"Yes, my love," he asked, cocking his head to the side as if trying to decipher my thoughts… again.

"Can you put your hand on my abdomen?" I asked, blushing thoroughly and looking like a tomato. "It's just… your hand is so cold and, well, you wanted to help; I mean… you don't have to-"

He hushed me with a sweet, chaste-ish kiss and I hummed, tipping my head to the side, trying to deepen it. He allowed it, but only for a short amount of time.

"We do not want to become worked up," he said and I smiled, knowing exactly what he meant.

"You're right," I whispered and then I lay back on the bed. He lay down next to me, nuzzling his nose into my cheek and jaw and I hummed, leaning in to him.

"Edward?" I asked quietly, contently.

"Yes, my special one?" he asked back and I smiled at the name, loving it. "What is it?"

"Can you please go and get me something from the store?" I asked, burying my head in his neck. "Actually, I'll come with you and you run in—that way no pain and we can still get what is needed."

He smiled. "And what _is_needed, my dear?"

I smiled, my eyes still closed. "Chocolate and movies and food," I said and he chuckled softly.

"As you wish," he said and I kept my eyes closed as he picked me up and carried me out to the car. At this stage, I couldn't care less what I was wearing—regardless of the fact that it was actually just tracksuit pants and a hooded sweatshirt.

He put the heater on immediately after getting in and I closed my eyes, willing myself not to fall asleep.

Edward purred as I carefully stroked the back of his hand. He growled my growl affectionately and I blinked, sitting upright as it relieved me of some of the pain.

"Oh my god," I said and I looked at Edward, "baby, keep doing that."

He looked at me, cocking his head to the side. "Doing what, my love?"

"My growl," I said and he smiled, still confused.

"Why, my dear one?" he asked and I blushed.

"Um, well… it's uh," I swallowed and looked away from him, to which he growled, upset. He continued to growl my growl, waiting patiently for me to answer. Finally, I had enough courage to tell him. "It's helping with the cramps."

I peeked up at him from behind my eyelashes, only to see that he was grinning with pride. "It is?"

I nodded and leaned back against the seat once again, closing my eyes and breathing deeply as I relaxed. "I love you," I whispered and I heard the growl grow in volume. I moaned and hummed appreciatively as the sound of it soothed me, calming me even more.

"As I love you," he cooed and I felt his finger as it brushed against my flaming cheek. "Very much so, my beautiful mate. You have no idea just how much; I only wish to help and please you."

I smiled, feeling the tears that prickled and the lump in my throat that rose at just how sweet he was. "Oh my dear vampire," I said and he purred at the name, clearly liking it. "Another thing you have to know about women when they have their periods is that we get quite emotional. You'll probably see me crying at a lot of things that you say."

"Oh dear," he said and I could hear the worry. I nearly spoke, but he hushed me and continued. "You'll have to tell me of those times, my special one. I could not allow myself to upset you in any way—I would forever hate myself."

I smiled, sniffling. "Stop it, baby; you're making me cry."

He chuckled. "Oh my dear, if you only knew…" He trailed off and I settled into the seat.

Then something occurred to me. "Edward, why has it taken so long to get to the shops? We're not even there yet." I was pouting as I felt out the car and noticed that it didn't feel like we were driving quite as fast as we usually did. "Edward, love, why are you driving slower than usual?"

I frowned and opened my eyes to look at him. He was thinking heavily and I sighed. "I'm not angry, I just wanna understand."

He relaxed and smiled sweetly at me, relieved that I wasn't angry. "My love, I already know that you are fragile, but as your mate, I am quite on edge as it is; especially when my darling mate is already quite hormonal and in pain from what she is experiencing. I was hoping that perhaps if I reduced the speed of which I drive, it would help you. I always strive to help and soothe you in any way I can."

I was practically choking on my tears by the end of his speech. "Oh, Edward," I cried, looking away as I wiped my eyes and nose, "I love you so much. You're so sweet and kind—I can't imagine a better mate for me. I don't deserve you, my vampire. I really don't. Oh god, I just…"

"Bella?" Edward asked, so very concerned. My breath was hitching in all these different spots and it was making him panic more and more by the second. "Are you alright? Did I say the wrong thing? Please, my love; I didn't mean to cause you anguish."

"No, no," I said, still crying from his words. I made myself look him in the eye as I explained. "Edward, it's one of those 'over-emotional reaction' moments that I was telling you about. Please, honey, it _was_what you said, but in a good way. I promise you."

He nodded to himself, still checking me over from the corner of his eye. "Right, yes. You are alright?"

I nodded, smiling at him and he smiled immediately back. My growl—which was currently emitting from his chest—sang through his body, calming me like nothing else.

The car stopped then and Edward got out of the car. He hesitated for a moment, looking at me and then he took off his jacket. He handed it to me and I smiled, looking at him as I smelled his scent.

"Thanks, baby," I said softly and he smiled at me, happy and relieved that he had pleased me. I lifted my legs up onto the seat and hugged the jacket to me, liking the smell and feeling of my Edward.

"I do hope that you don't feel the pain of separation," he said worriedly, a frown marring his perfect face. I bit my lip, watching him, and he smiled. "No, I don't think you shall. Surely we are close enough to each other that you won't. If you do, however, feel at all uncomfortable then I shall meet you in the store. I will be listening for you, my love."

And then I watched as he walked into the store, my eyes following him 'til he disappeared from sight.

I breathed in and out, breathing in his scent as I left my own on his jacket. That way, when he took it back, it would be all around him. And god fucking knows that he likes my scent. It's like a drug to him, as his is to me.

After a while, I was getting impatient. I wanted my Edward here, with me, and I wanted him now. I knew that he was in there, probably buying all the chocolate and movies in the store for me and I reminded myself that I had to calm down. Of course, that didn't stop my feet from tapping out a fast rhythm.

Suddenly, I just couldn't handle it anymore. I huffed, frowning as I flung the door open. I got out, smiling when I felt the familiar and pleasant cold. Even though it wasn't good enough for me—it wasn't Edward—it was at least something. I looked around to look for cars coming and saw the most horrible sight.

Mike Newton was standing there, not ten yards away from me.

"Bella," he said enthusiastically and he practically ran towards me.

I groaned softly and closed my eyes, my jaw locking, unhappy that he'd just happened to find me here. I'd avoided him for quite a long time—over a fucking week! Why did he have to find me now? It was well known that when I was angry and upset and I had my period, I was quite liable to punch someone.

"Mike," I said half-heartedly, huffing a short, irritated laugh, "fancy seeing you here."

"Yeah, it's really great," he said and my hands flinched, wanting to just… grab a hold of him by the neck and strangle the fuck out of him.

"Sure," I said, huffing and still not looking at him, not even fully facing him. "What do you want?"

I saw him smile from the corner of his eye. "I just wanted to talk… I mean, I've wanted to talk to you for a while but you were always with that _Cullen_." Mike sneered Edward's name, as if it were a curse, and my anger flared.

"Don't say his name like that," I snapped and he stepped back.

"Wow," he said, raising his hands which were stuffed in his jacket. He tried at playing it cool and said, "PMSing, are we, Bella?"

_Tried and failed,_I thought angrily.

I looked over at him slowly and I raised an eyebrow. "I'll show you PMSing…" I pretty much growled, locking my jaw in anger.

"Bella," I heard from behind me and I smiled at the sound of my Edward's voice. I breathed deeply as he eventually reached me, and I fell back against him, smiling even brighter and closing my eyes when his cold lips pressed against the skin of my temple, so softly and yet it showed his claim on me.

I twisted my head around to press a kiss against his throat, effectively showing that I was just as affectionate and 'involved' with Edward as he was with me.

When we looked at Mike, he was watching us intently, somewhat annoyed. "Bella," he said and I closed my eyes—having opened them when I kissed Edward's throat—reining in my anger.

"Yes, Mike," I said, opening my eyes.

"Go out with me," he said, thinking that it was attractive when he smiled, lolling his head to the side, cocking it.

"No," I said confidently and his eyes widened in response.

"What?" he asked angrily and I had to press myself into Edward, caressing his arm—which had wrapped around my waist—softly and calmingly just to make him stop himself from lunging at Mike. His growl, which could only be completely heard by me, made his chest vibrate and I stopped myself from licking my lips.

"I said…" I began, looking at him crossly—Edward was still growling against me and I hummed in pleasure—"no."

He frowned, confused, and then pouted as he watched Edward and me. "But… why?"

I sighed. "Look, is it really that hard to believe that I love Edward and I don't want you in any way, shape, or form?"

His anger exploded. "Well… yes!" he shouted and I heard Edward hiss. He was tense, his gaze piercing into Mike Newton's so fiercely that he paled. When Mike looked at me, though, he was snarky again. "He's a freak, Bella! I fucking weirdo—he can't do anything for you. He's a fucking pin-up doll!"

My breath hitched as I inhaled sharply. All I could see was red.

_How. Fucking. Dare. He. Insult. My. Mate?_

"Excuse me?" I screeched, impossibly angry. I struggled to get out of Edward's comforting arms, but when I did, I was all up in Newton's face. "What did you just call him?"

He smirked. "A freak, a weirdo, and a fucking pin-up doll."

He was so arrogant and cocky that I couldn't help myself. I made a fist, lifted it up, pulled back and slammed forward. It didn't even hurt when my fist collided with his face. I swear I heard a crack as it connected and then, suddenly, I was in Edward's arms and Newton was on the ground, knocked out cold. His nose was bleeding, so I could only guess that it was, in fact, broken.

I looked up at Edward and smiled sweetly. He looked at me, cupping my face in both hands, a look of pride warring with a look of concern. I shook my head and whispered, "I'm fine, Edward… but I don't think Newton is. Besides, he knows not to bother me—everyone does. I'm not a cop's daughter for nothing."

He chuckled somewhat huskily and leaned down to capture my lips in a fierce, possessive, and delighted kiss. I moaned, fisting his hair and pushing my body against him, feeling it soothe the aches and pains.

"I love you," he whispered when he pulled back so our lips were _just_touching.

I smiled and sniffled, "I love you too."

I looked down to see that the bags of what he'd bought—for me—were all on the ground, perfectly fine. I made a move to pick a few up, but he stopped me. "My love, no mate of mine will carry these. They are quite heavy."

I frowned and pouted and he growled a groan. "Alright, fine," I said and then I perked up. "But… I wanna see the movies. Oh, and can we stop by the diner to get a milkshake? They make good ones—especially their chocolate ones; oh. My. God."

He chuckled and kissed me chastely—a mere peck on the lips—and I licked my lips, tasting his scent as I watched him as he picked up all… six bags.

I frowned. "Edward!"

"What?" he asked, frowning as he regarded me. He came toward me and rested his hands on my elbows, looking at me. "Whatever is the matter, my beautiful mate?"

I looked at the bags that he had once again put down and frowned. "Edward, there are six shopping bags, you can't carry all that!"

Understanding dawned on his face just as he smiled a sweet, loving smile that left me feeling all… gooey and dazzled. "Yes, I can and I shall. You will not carry any of these. You are unwell."

"Baby, having your period hardly qualifies as 'being unwell,'" I said, raising my hands in the air in exasperation.

"I believe that it does," he said, leaning down to me and forgetting the bags. Or at least I know I did.

"But-"

"No buts," he silenced me with a finger to my lips; I pouted against that single, lone finger, eyeing it. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. I smiled against his finger and he raised an eyebrow at me. Deftly, I let my tongue sneak out of my mouth, looking around with my peripheral vision to see that no one was around and watching. Happy to see that there wasn't, I licked the length of his entire finger oh. So. Slowly. Then, I took it into my mouth and sucked… as hard as I could.

He growled, nearly moving too fast when he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his body. I whined in my thoughts, incredibly unhappy that I just so happened to have my period at the moment and there was no way that we could do anything of that nature.

He looked so sexy, so domineering, so fucking possessive that I just… melted.

I moaned and, finger forgotten, leaned against him, rubbing my cheek against his. This motion made him purr as my scent rubbed all over him, filling his senses at the same time that his was rubbed on me and filled mine.

It was a whole other kind of ecstasy.

But, I knew we had to pull away. People were surely out by now and looking; either that or they were about to look.

With a grumble, I refrained myself and took control of my actions and my wants and desires and needs. I let go of all of him, not even touching so much as his hand. He was pouting adorably when I looked up at him and giggled, winked, then walked over to my side of the car. I smiled sweetly, innocently, at him and then climbed in the car.

I thought that he would come straight after me, but he did not. He simply stood there, for god knows how long, standing there, breathing in and out, deeply and carefully, calming himself down the only way he could: by breathing in the air around him and my scent—pure and what he called 'innocent' me. According to him, not even the sweet scent of my arousal could compare to the calming feeling that just the natural smell of my skin could bring to him.

Then he looked at me and smiled, and I reached out for him with my eyes, my expression, and my body. At the realization that he was indeed looking and focusing on me, my body leaned toward him, begging for his presence, his touch, and his coldness.

I needed him like I needed air to breathe. He slowly and carefully got into the car. When he was settled, he looked at me for a few seconds more. I smiled at him, my brow puckering as I wondered what he could possibly be thinking about so intently. For some reason, reading him through our connections didn't seem to work right now.

Reading me through our connections, he smiled simply and shook his head and I relaxed, calmed by the fact that he was just watching me… that there was nothing that he was worrying about. He was probably thinking and feeling what I did just about every time I looked at him, that he couldn't believe that I was here, that I was his and that I loved him… that I wanted him and needed him just as he needed and wanted me.

He picked up my left hand, oh so carefully, treating me as if I were the most fragile of crystal glasses. He looked down at the ring—at my eternity ring from him—emotionally, as did I, and then, so very sweetly and reverently… he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it. My breath hitched at the feeling of his soft, loving lips against my hand and then my ring.

I was practically crying by the time that he released my hand and put it down. I whimpered at the loss of touch, needing it so badly that I nudged at him with my hand. He looked at me and gasped at the tears, wiping them away from my face, and I closed my eyes as his icy hands touched my flaming skin. I leaned into his touch as he caressed my cheek then gently brought his hand down to grab a hold of my hand once again.

He started the car, and soon enough, we were on our way.

I thought of different things, fleeting little moments of thought that passed through my mind. Most, if not all, were of Edward and our past times together. I found myself smiling here and there as I looked back on them, nearly crying from the sweetness of some of the memories.

"My love," he asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah?"

"Would you still like that milkshake?" he asked and I nodded enthusiastically, feeling my craving for it kick in again with full force.

"Yes, please, baby," I said and he purred at the name. He stopped the car and got out carefully, smiling reassuringly as he took his wallet with him into the shop.

I sat there, patiently, breathing in his scent as I waited for him to come back with the drink.

It wasn't long before he was back with a large chocolate milkshake and I reached out for it greedily when he opened the car door. He chuckled but relented, giving it to me as he got in the car. I held the drink with two hands, sucking it up quickly and eagerly, needing it crazily.

It was finished within two minutes or something and I looked around for somewhere to put it. Edward smiled and took it from me, gracefully putting it in the back of the car and that was that.

I smiled and sighed happily, leaning back against the seat and nestling into it once again. The soft sound of Edward's growl—the one that was only for me—soothed me and I was nearly asleep by the time that we arrived in front of my house.

I opened my eyes when the car stopped and expected to see Edward, but his side of the car was clear; empty. I looked around, only to see that he was, in fact, right next to me, the car door separating us.

I smiled at him and he smiled back, opening the door for me in the age-old gesture. I gave him my hand as I had once by accident and he smiled radiantly at my acceptance. I had initially been upset with myself and incredibly sorry, but upon trying to tell him that… he had smiled and told me that he preferred that I did that. He had told me that it was a sign of my willingness and so from then on, I did it every single time.

As soon as I was out of the car, his arm was wrapped around my waist, pulling me against him protectively. He always did that.

"Edward?" I asked as I looked up at him.

"Yes, my dear one," he said as he stopped in front of the door that led into the house.

I pursed my lips for a moment before striding forward in my question. "Well, I was just wondering why you always wrap an arm around me, even when we aren't around other people. Like now, for instance."

I watched him as he thought through my question, thinking up a reasonable answer. He was so attractive—well, he was all the time—but there was just something about him when he was concentrating on something. It was so very sexy and sinful and delightful, with a seductive flare, that you just would not and could not look away. You'd never dare to dream of even the thought.

I licked my lips, a subconscious reaction to the sight before me.

Finally though, he perked up and his eyes brightened. He smiled and took my hand, deftly opening the door and leading us through and into the lounge room.

He sat down on the couch and got into a comfortable position before he cupped the back of my thighs and pushed me down into his lap. I hummed appreciatively and pressed myself into his ice-cold body, content. He purred, letting the soothing sound resonate through his body. It calmed the cramps just as the growl had and I smiled blissfully, shifting even closer and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Well, my special one," he said, caressing my back softly as he spoke, "I suppose the only way that I can really explain such a thing is… my love, you are my world. I need you more than I need any other thing in the world. But in my world there are certain rules, rules that you know of. The rule that we should not tell any human of our existence is a very hard rule to keep if our mate is of that species. It is not accepted that that is even possible as it has never happened before. It is for that reason that I am so protective of you, so much, in fact, that perhaps I even surpass those of our world who are known for their protective—or should I say overprotective—tendencies. The possibility that there is someone of my kind lurking around is frightening, and it puts me on edge. It certainly does not help that I have waited for you for a hundred years and then when I found you, there was also someone else trying to court you."

I listened to his every word, fascinated by what he was saying. My love for him, and my awe and respect for him, rose in volume and I just…

… kissed the fucking shit out of him.

He moaned, which soon turned into a growl, as he pushed his tongue into my mouth. I moaned around it, sucking hard, and he purred in pleasure, breathing in sharply. The kiss was forceful, domineering, and sexual. At the same time, however, it was loving and gentle and sweet—a very pleasurable kiss.

When I was breathless and panting, he pulled away from my lips and leaned his forehead against mine. His eyes were closed, his mouth half-open as he panted. His breath filled my senses, as mine did his, and we were equally just as dazzled.

We broke apart and sat there, looking at each other, for a little while.

No words were spoken, no thoughts shared… it was simply the two of us with all else forgotten.

After a while, when we calmed down, Edward sped over to the six shopping bags and brought them up to us, setting them down in front of me. I sat up, instantly curious as to what he bought. He unpacked the bags, setting the various items out in front of me neatly, and I looked at them. There was chocolate—a whole load of chocolate—and a few movies here and there. There was pain medication as well, though I doubted that I would need it, and there were even a few of my favorite foods. He had lasagna, macaroni and cheese… the list went on.

I looked up at him to see him eyeing my reaction nervously.

To ease his nerves, I said, "I love you so fucking much. Thank you for all of this; you didn't have to do it, but you did."

"I would do anything for you, my love," he said and he smiled proudly before sitting down next to me. "Now, what would you like to eat and watch, my dear one?"

I frowned, cocking my head to the side. "Baby, I can cook for myself, it's ok."

He looked crestfallen and I immediately backpedalled. "But you can do it if you want, honey. I just didn't think you'd want to bother."

He smiled at me and pecked me on the lips. "What would you like to eat?"

I looked down at the options, and when I eyed one of the foods in particular, my stomach growled. I decided to go with that one. I pointed at it and said, "Lasagna, please, my vampire."

He smiled down at me and said, "I love to hear you call me that," and then he picked up the lasagna. He got up and walked to the door then turned around. "You can choose whatever movie you wish to watch, my lovely."

And then he was out of the room. I sighed, immediately missing his presence, but quickly did as he asked. I was determined to not eat the chocolate or any of the goodies until after dinner. I just hoped that my resolve was good enough.

Edward knew that when I had my period, I often liked to watch romantic movies. I especially liked ones that had the actors singing, and I may or may not have a thing for Ewan McGregor's voice. It had nothing on Edward's but it was really nice. With that knowledge in mind, it seemed, he had bought the movie _Moulin Rouge_. This movie was most definitely something to savor because that was the only movie that Ewan McGregor actually sang in, to the best of my knowledge.

I eagerly but slowly got up, trying to ignore the ache in my thighs and abdomen. I walked over to the T.V. and DVD player and started the movie. I sat back down on the couch and got comfy within a thin quilt, wishing Edward's arms were around me.

Soon enough, the movie had started and I was pretty much crying from the get-go. As one of the movies that I loved the most that actually wasn't a classic, I knew the plotline by heart. I knew that she would die in the end and he would spend the rest of his days—and there were many of them—alone, withering away without her.

Edward came in with my food somewhere during the movie and I dug in, relaxing against his chest. He had taken his place behind me on the couch, his arms wrapped around me and the electricity between us, thrumming.

By the end of the movie I was a mess, sobbing and blubbering in Edward's arms; he soothed me while being amused at my reaction to the movie. I looked up at him helplessly and said, "Aren't you affected? I mean, it's so sad… he lost the woman he loved and lived through his life alone… that's so sad, isn't it?"

I was whining at the end, unable to control my ridiculously hormonal emotions. Edward thought twice about chuckling, not wanting to upset me further, but I saw his lips twitch. He rubbed his hand up and down my back since I'd turned around to mold myself closer to him, my head resting against his chest where his heart was.

He pressed his lips to my head and then whispered in my ear his response. "Oh, my love, it is very sad but my only fear, and the only thing that brings forth anxiety to me, is you and the things that could possibly happen to you. When I watch a production like this, it makes me reflect on what I would do differently to make sure nothing could happen to you and I wouldn't have to lose you."

I nodded, but cried at his tender, heart-felt words. My breath hitched here and there, and I was a blubbering mess once again, thinking of the perfect soul mate in front of me.

"Would you like to watch another, my dear?" Edward asked sometime later; we were still cuddling as close as we could to one another.

"Hmm?" I hummed sleepily, frowning a little.

He chuckled and kissed my nose. "You're adorable."

My eyes flew open. "I am so not adorable."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes. You. Are," Edward said, emphasizing each word with a sweet, loving, and chaste kiss. I moaned against his lips and he smiled, purring softly in response. I pressed my hand against his chest, feeling the vibrations of the purr, and I relaxed muscles that I didn't even know were tense.

"Well, if you say so," I said against his lips, giggling.

He smiled, kinda smug. "Yes, I do."

I giggled at his stupidity—or rather, the stupidity of our conversation, happy that Edward could just be plain silly when he had to be.

"Now, back to what I was trying to communicate," he said to me and I looked up, my brow puckering again. "The question I was trying to ask you before we got into the ridiculous debate of whether or not you are, in fact, cute… a debate that I won."

"You purred, that's different," I said in argument and he laughed, the hand that was resting just below my ass shaking with the rest of his body.

"Purring has nothing to do with it, my dear," he said and I snorted, but he continued. "It doesn't; I am not at fault here if you are unable to think and respond effectively at the sound of my purr—or rather, at the sound of _any_of my most animalistic behavioral sounds."

I frowned and pouted, thinking over what he said. I had to agree with him there, however unfair it was.

"Edward, baby?" I asked and he smiled.

"Yes?"

"Can you please put on something sweet and happy and funny that has a happy ever after?" I asked and he chuckled, nodding as he detached me from his body and set me down on the couch carefully, making sure I was comfortable before he went over to the T.V.

He looked around for a movie, and I didn't make it a priority to see which one he was going to put on for us.

Before long, he had found something for us to watch and he smiled triumphantly as he settled back into his spot behind me on the couch. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his chest, liking the feeling of the simple yet effective growl that he was growling just for me to soothe my cramps.

He pressed a few buttons, which ones I could not be sure of, and then the movie started. I couldn't even tell which it was, overcome by a sudden exhaustion.

I sighed and yawned, rubbing my head around on his chest, wanting to get closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

At some point throughout the movie, I fell away into a blissful and dreamless sleep against Edward's cold, hard, and comforting body.

* * *

><p><strong>See what I mean about loving, emotional and humorous?<strong>

**What did you think?**

**Please review... I promise that the next chapter will come along quicker... :D**

**bexie25**

**P.S. Sorry for the extra long A/N up the top! ;)**


	13. AN Links to Eternity Ring and Banners

**Hello!**

**So, I got to the bottom of the Eternity Ring problem. No one could see the ring anymore, and so I talked to my friend… her tumblr had been deleted and that was where the pic was from. But, I found it and the link is here. I've now put it on my photobucket account…**

**DIRECT LINK: s1108 . photobucket . com / albums / h411 / bexie25 / A%20Choice%20and%20A%20Choice%20OUTTAKES / ? action = view & current = TheEternityRing . jpg**

**While I'm here, the banners are also up for A Choice, so check them out as well: **

**BANNER LINK: s1108 . photobucket . com / albums / h411 / bexie25 / Banners % 20 for % 20Stories /**

**NOTE – The link to the banners is the link to all the banners for my stories…**

**P.S. TO ACCESS LINKS, DELETE THE SPACES.**

**:D**

**Bexie25**


	14. For the Rest of My Life

**Hello**

**I know, I'm sorry it's been so long.**

**So, I know American schools probably don't have anything like what's gonna be in this chapter. But, my school and a lot of other schools over here in Australia do. It has something to do with students needing to be able to "socialise without the trouble of all those sexually charged meetings between girls and boys".**

_**Something**_** like that.**

**I got the idea during a practice and it held on… so here you go.**

**It's a possessive, cute, stubborn and sweet chapter. I hope you enjoy it because, believe it or not, it took me around a week to write it. Actually, I think it was longer… oh well!**

**So, please…**

**Read, review and enjoy!**

***A/N: 23/7/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.***

* * *

><p>A couple of days later… my period was just finishing.<p>

Edward was always with me, for which I was grateful because I seriously did not know what I would do without him and his… well, his frightfully awesome natural pain medication.

It was better and worse, however, because today of all days… we have set dance practice.

Forks High School likes to put on a little thing called a Set dance once a year. That set dance is mandatory; everyone must attend and everyone—yes, klutzes and ballroom dancers alike—must know how to waltz, cha-cha, and all those 'nice' dances.

Edward was the only one of us—of even his family, who I've been informed are all awesome dancers—who was excited… he said it had something to do with something about dancing with me for the first time.

I had to _quickly_assure him that there would only be a lot of dancing if I was safely kept… _away_from a lot of the other students.

He'd laughed and kissed me sweetly, instantly making me forget where the fuck I was.

"I love you," I said as Edward and I made it to the cafeteria table. It was the beginning of lunch and, so far, the day had been… well, rather interesting.

First period—for some reason that word… _period_… made me laugh to even think of it—there was a little conversation between the teacher, Edward, and, well… me.

"_Miss Swan," Mr. Mason said and I swear I groaned… just silently._

"_Yes, Mr. Mason?" I said, disguising my disgust as respect. I could feel the blush that was spreading across my cheeks, neck, and chest and Edward purred a little at the sight, but it was marred with worry. I instantly grabbed his hand to calm him down… and if I was being honest, calm_me _down._

_Looking around, just a shift of the eyes, I could see the other students looking at me. It made me self-conscious and I looked down just as Edward squeezed my hand, ready to support me. I smiled a little to myself; he always knew what made me feel or act a certain way and he was there to support me. He truly was the best mate any one—human or vampire—could ask for._

"_Is there something wrong?" Mr. Mason continued his verbal assault and I frowned, biting my lip as I looked back up, shaking my head._

"_No, sir." I_tried _to sound confident... but I wasn't feeling confident. Edward could see that and his arm—which was wrapped around me—traced circles on my hip as he growled my growl._

_Recently, I had discovered that not only would the growl calm me, but what it actually did was give the mate that it was for what they were missing. So, if I was sad, it made me happy; if I was terribly embarrassed, it made me confident._

_Like now._

_Mr. Mason pursed his lips, his brow furrowing as his eyes narrowed. "Then why, Miss Swan, are you and Mr. Cullen whispering in the back? Perhaps we need to separate you."_

_My breath hitched with nervousness, only audible to Edward, who growled just as lowly; this growl was a growl of anger and I frowned when I heard it._

_But, Edward—always the caregiver—took that precise moment to step in and take hold of the conversation. He tightened the arm that was wrapped around me while the fingers of his other hand trailed down to my thigh to rub soothingly… it worked; I relaxed a little, but I was still so fucking embarrassed that I needed my growl. That and I seriously did not want to be separated from Edward right now. I had not felt even one little cramp since we'd found out that his touch helped the purring and my growl to stop the pain._

"_Sir, that is not necessary," Edward rushed to explain and I smiled a small smile, looking down. He was such a gentleman, so sweet and so protective. Yet somehow, though his mate was being what he would see as 'mistreated', he managed to stay… polite and respectful. "Bella is unwell; I was merely asking her if she wanted me to accompany her to the nurse's office."_

"_Hmm," the teacher said curtly but then he let it go and turned back to the rest of the class. I relaxed into Edward's side, breathing a sigh of relief._

So yeah… today had been eventful and we were only up to lunch.

"Hey, Bella," Emmett called loudly, though Edward and I were just sitting down across from him. "You ready for some dancing practice?"

I groaned, pushing my back against Edward's chest. Of course, as usual, I was sitting on his lap. I loved sitting in his lap, it was so very comfortable. "Don't remind me, Emmett."

Edward's special growl for me grew just slightly in volume and all the tight muscles in my shoulders relaxed as I sighed back into him. I leaned my head against his shoulder and looked up at him to see him smiling down at me, proud that he could comfort me.

"Thank you. I love you," I whispered to him and he smiled, the growl increasing in volume once again, making my entire body vibrate from the motion of his chest. The ache that had been there completely and utterly vanished and I sagged against him, almost feeling tired.

"I love you, my darling mate," he whispered and I smiled, feeling the tears form.

_Jesus_… I thought, _here I go again_!

Edward looked at me anxiously and wiped away the tears. I sniffled and he chuckled, nuzzling his nose against mine. Apparently I was cute when I did that… the sniffling.

I couldn't see how.

"Happy tears," I squeaked out, my breath hitching, and he nodded with relief paramount on his features. Knowing that I was sated and completely happy, he then focused on settling me down. He did so by rubbing his cheek against mine, still marking me as always but his scent heightened my comfort, reassuring me that he was here, and of course it was damn fantastic to smell. That and he upped the volume and pressure of his growl, making me calm, but still happy.

Alice and Rosalie watched us, small smiles playing on their lips as they cuddled into their own mates.

We were all comfortable, happy, not needing any conversation. With anyone else, this would be incredibly fucking awkward, but for us… it wasn't. It was the norm. This family worked well because we didn't need pointless chatter to fill an awkward air… we were content with each other in silence.

"Are we all together and mixed or in classes for this… dancing thing?" I couldn't help the grimace that crossed my face and the Cullen siblings chuckled, while Edward merely nuzzled his nose against my cheek. He loved it when I laid my head on his chest, which I loved anyway, so it was only fair.

Besides, it was basic instinct, for both Edward and for me. The desire to be as close together as we could was something that would never change. I knew that as well as Edward did.

"Uh… no, we're all mixed I think," Rose said and I nodded against Edward's chest, closing my eyes and sighing happily. Edward's purr was easier to hear as it resonated from his chest.

Ten minutes before the bell went, I got up off Edward's lap. Edward moved immediately after me, my growl still as always just loud enough for me to hear. His arm wrapped around my waist and we walked together—as usual, it was as if we were one being—to our lockers. We ignored all else around us, focusing solely on each other.

I huffed as I opened my locker and Edward stood behind me, hugging my body back into his. "It's alright, love. I will be there with you; you won't be alone for a moment."

I bit my lip and sighed, turning my head to look at him. That was only half of what I was nervous about. "But, Edward… they give demos, right?" He nodded, cocking his head to the side.

The most adorable look of confusion came across his face and I chuckled, turning around to face him fully. I cupped his cheeks in my hands and pulled his face towards mine so I could kiss him. It was a small, tame kiss but it still made me react just as every other did.

I released him and looked at him before continuing. "They have male and female instructors, right?" Again he nodded, watching me as he tried to figure out what I was getting at. "And they will ask students to dance with the instructors if they see that the student is getting it right… they'll do that to help the others students who are struggling, yeah?"

He nodded, still confused. "Yes, love, they will… but I don't understand how this is relevant."

"You're a good dancer," I said stubbornly, folding my arms across my chest. I swallowed and tried to control my breathing as my mind forced me to consider what it would look like if Edward was asked to dance with one of the female instructors. Jealousy flooded through me and I clenched my jaw.

Edward smiled at me, cupping my jaw—which relaxed instantly—but sighed. "Yes, I am. But I would not dance with anyone but you if that made you uncomfortable, my darling mate. I never wish for you to feel threatened."

I shook my head. "You wouldn't get to choose."

He smiled. "Sweet angel, I am sure that with my years of experience, they wouldn't dream of asking me. Usually, if one of our family members is superior—which is common—then the instructor or teacher does not ask any of us. They ignore us because they do not want to be seen as… well, unfit for their task."

I bit my lip, frowning, but sighed. "I guess that makes sense."

He smiled and stepped forward, aligning his body with mine as his arms wrapped around me again. His hands had never left my body, but even then I had felt tense without his scent engulfing me. With it filling my senses, I instantly relaxed and sighed as I melted into his arms.

"Thank you for making me see reason, baby," I said and he chuckled, kissing my forehead.

"That is quite alright, my beautiful mate," he whispered in my ear, kissing, licking, and nipping at the shell. I smiled and sighed happily, blissfully, in response.

"Mine," I whispered, pulling my head up to look into his eyes. They melted, smoldered, and I sniffled, my emotions running rampant yet again.

He nuzzled his cheek and nose against my face and I sighed when he whispered in my ear that simple word… "Yours, as you are mine."

Simple, but it still meant the _world_to me.

"Of course, Edward… I always will be," I whispered and he purred contently. Smiling, I threw my head into the crook of his neck, breathing in his glorious scent: honey, sunshine, lilac, the list was endless. His arms squeezed gently, tightening, and I whimpered at the feeling of being so close to my mate…

… But it was never enough, somehow, and I sighed as I heard students coming from the direction of the cafeteria.

"Come on," I said grudgingly, "let's go _dance_."

Edward chuckled, shaking his head, and dragged me along with him to the gym. I looked around in horror; the gym was filled with at least seventy students.

"Just how many instructors are coming?" I asked Edward, looking up at him. He seemed nervous and I understood why immediately. It had to be for the same reason that he had been the first day after we had mated.

He felt the need to mark me as his.

I smirked; I could certainly help with that.

Turning around in his arms made him immediately tighten his arms around me and he growled as he looked at the males in the room.

"Hey, baby," I said, cupping his cheek.

He looked down at me immediately, his eyes black. "Bella, I have to…"

"I know," I whispered, smiling. I was excited… I _wanted_him to mark me in front of everyone… to show everyone—male and female, student and instructor—that I was, in fact, his, and perfectly, blissfully happy within that fact. "Do it, baby."

I admit that I was shameless in my need to make him go insane, but the only way to make him mark me without feeling as if he was disrespecting me was to either have a conversation—which was definitely not going to happen; we didn't have enough time—or to make him go all caveman by calling him that little pet name that he loved so much.

And besides… he made me turn to goo all the time. I should be allowed to make him possessive if I wanted to.

Which I did.

He growled lowly in my ear and I felt his tongue against my neck. I barely managed to keep myself in control, the electricity picking up like fire. I moaned, almost silently, but when Edward heard it… he lost control even more. Purring, his lips pressed wet, open kisses on my neck and then suddenly, with no notice whatsoever, he was sucking lightly on my neck.

It was still hard enough to give me a hickey, which was exactly what I had wanted in the first place.

I looked up at him and gasped; his eyes were black in desire for me. I bit my lip, barely managing to stop the wanton whimper from escaping through my lips.

"I love you," I whispered and he smiled at me before looking over my shoulder.

"I love you, my precious love," he said and I laid my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arms around his waist.

Looking around just a little, I quickly located the Cullen siblings. They were exactly the same as we were, all wrapped up around each other in their own worlds.

Just then, the male voice of someone who could only be an instructor hollered for attention. Every student straightened up, our family unwrapping themselves from their mate and instead holding their hand and leaning in to each other.

Because Edward and I were newly mated and connected by all three connections, we were slightly more wrapped around each other than the others. Edward's arm was wrapped around my shoulder, my own wrapped around his back and we were leaning in against each other territorially, possessively, and for some reason, protectively.

"Why are we protective of each other, Edward?" I whispered, still looking to the front to make it seem like we were paying attention.

"Whatever do you mean, my dear one?" he asked and I blushed, smiling at the name. He chuckled at my reaction, seemingly proud of himself, and I shook my own head, surprised by his boyish behavior. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that my Edward was indeed a seventeen-year-old teenager, stuck as a vampire.

"Well, I get why we're feeling territorial and possessive, but," then I paused and thought about it for a moment. Was I the only one feeling protective out of the two of us?

"Go on," Edward said gently, almost in a coo, effectively breaking me out of my thoughts. I sighed, biting my lip, which made Edward growl. I giggled quietly and he groaned. "Please, my love, continue… before I combust."

I giggled again but relented. "Well, I for one am feeling protective of you." I saw him nodding and frowning from the corner of my eye and I smiled, knowing that he was feeling protective of me as well. "Well, why are we feeling protective? I mean, logically we shouldn't; _logically_, we have no reason to."

He smiled. "Our instincts aren't always logical, my dear. That is why they are, in fact, called instincts. They are instinctual, without thought; they are natural."

I nodded. "Ok, but why would we feel that way?"

He sighed, running his free hand through his long locks. My fingers twitched; I wanted to do that for him. "Look around the room, my love. What do you see?"

I was confused to say the least, but I looked around the room just as he asked. "Men and women… teachers, students… Why?"

He chuckled at my irritated yet curious tone. "I believe that we have different reasons. _I_know that I am feeling protective because there are men in this room who could very well hurt you. Their thoughts are quite unsavory as they try to imagine what you look like in a state of post-coital bliss, something that only _I_have ever seen. That and they may try to take you away from me so I could no longer soothe your pain." As he said the word _soothe_ his fingertips—his arm had moved down to wrap around my waist—grazed against my abdomen, heightening the electricity and soothing the pain even more.

I smiled, sniffling just a little and glanced up at him. His eyes were watching me though he was facing the instructors, who were still talking to the students. I looked down, breathing shallowly through my separated lips. "But why am I feeling protective of you?"

It was a whisper, but Edward still heard it. He thought for a moment, his fingertips still rubbing against the side of my abdomen, relaxing me further. Then, suddenly, he spoke. "Well, in light of what you revealed to me at your locker—" I blushed at the memory and he chuckled faintly "—I'd say it was because you don't want them to make me dance with someone, knowing I do not wish to do so. But, you also want me near you so you can feel comforted. It's quite difficult to explain, my love, as I cannot read your mind…. Despite the connections, I cannot see everything."

"You're doing well," I praised him as I glanced lovingly up at him. He gasped, swallowed, and looked away, breathing in and out deeply as he tried to calm his emotions. I smiled to myself. "Thank you for answering my question, Edward."

"My pleasure, dear love," he breathed and I leaned against him. He purred and the growl that was especially for me sounded again, making me huff, relieved as I felt the feeling that it gave me… that it always gave me.

"Alright!" the instructor shouted then, louder than he had before. It surprised me and Edward growled my growl upon hearing my heart fly. "Get in lines, your partner by your side!"

Edward smiled and led me over to the rest of the Cullen siblings. The other students stayed a fair distance away, as they always did, but I did see the jealous glances from both girls and boys of the grade.

"Edward," I whispered, suddenly really, really nervous.

Upon hearing this, Edward started purring and his arm that had been wrapped around me, guiding me to where we were standing, gripped my hip, his thumb rubbing circles. "Breathe, my darling… just breathe."

I sighed and worked on regulating my breathing.

_Deep breaths… in and out… deep breaths… in and out…_

I smiled up at him in thanks not thirty seconds later. He chuckled and smiled back, love burning in his eyes. My breath hitched and I cursed myself for being so emotional.

"Right," the instructor shouted again and I flinched—making Edward growl—as I looked up to the front.

The instructor that was speaking had tanned skin, blue eyes, and blond hair. I couldn't see why all the females like Jessica Stanley, Lauren Mallory, and their friends were fawning over him. He wasn't that hot at all.

_Although_, I thought smugly to myself, _I do have the hottest guy in the room to myself… perhaps that has something to do with it._

Edward cleared his throat in an effort to get my attention. When I looked up at him, he had raised his eyebrow at me in question. I blushed and shook my head, but I just knew Edward could see the smug look in my eye.

He sighed, letting it go, and I smiled.

"Bells," Emmett whispered and I looked up at him. He started doing the shimmy and generally just being a cute little idiot. Rose watched him, a bemused look on her face, as the rest of us kinda snickered at him.

I smiled to myself though, knowing that he was doing that to distract me, to make me see the fun in dancing, though that wasn't the kind of dancing we'd be doing.

It was then that he started doing the _humping_move, thrusting his hips forward as he pulled his arms back. I snorted and my hand came up to my forehead as I tried to keep from laughing. I could feel Edward shaking against me and I had to glare up at him to get him to stop.

It wasn't helping matters. Well, it _was_ distracting me… but it was distracting me to the point where I was going to get a detention... surely. I didn't need nor want one of them.

Eventually, Rose got over the hilarity of it enough to be able to smack the back on his head and he yelped, hissing in pain as he brought his hand up to the back of his head. The rest of us were giggling as she glared at him, and it was even funnier when we saw him kinda shrink under her wrath.

But nothing beat the moment that he uttered just two words…

"Sorry, Rosie," he mumbled, but I could see the small childish grin on his face.

I shook my head, amazed by the show of power in the relationship.

"Up the back," the male instructor shouted and my head snapped up, the speed of which made me wince, and Edward's growled. I could see him frowning in the corner of my eye. We didn't answer and he slowly looked at each of the Cullens and then me. "The girl on the end," he said and I blushed.

He was talking to me.

He smiled to himself. "What dance will we be learning first?"

That was when Edward whispered, "Cha-cha," in my ear.

I swallowed, still blushing profusely when I said, "The cha-cha."

The instructor frowned, obviously miffed that I had gotten it right. I smirked to myself as all the other students looked back at me, gawking. They knew that the Cullens had been joking around with me and they thought that I'd get in trouble. Hell, I bet Jess and Lauren had been the ones to tell the fucking instructor in the first place.

"Now, we're gonna learn it step by step," the annoying instructor said and I heard the other students groan. I'm sure I did too, because Edward chuckled under his breath.

"Love, it is not all that bad," he crooned and I frowned stubbornly. His fingers brushed against my thigh making me pretty much choke on my own breath. "It is all within the leading; you must let me lead, for if you do not… that is when mistakes happen."

I smiled and breathed in slowly, almost angrily. "Fine, fine," I said, turning toward him. "Lead me," I tried to be seductive as I said it and though I thought I kinda sounded like a fucking weirdo, Edward seemed to like it.

He growled and smiled his crooked smile, making my heart fly. He pulled me toward him and we tried to listen to the bloody instructors as they led the students and guided them in how to do this fucking dance. But Edward was in his own world, a world where it was him and me, and I had to say that I was falling into that very world myself.

I bit my lip as he gently yet seductively led me through the dance. I could barely pay attention to the instructor's voice as I looked at Edward, his eyes piercing right through to my soul… hungry eyes, black eyes… filled with desire.

I swallowed, my breathing shaky, and I looked down, closing my eyes… trying to calm down.

_But my god, he was just too fucking sexy! It was a good thing my period was only gonna last 'til, at the latest, tomorrow… Shit!_I couldn't control my mind as it thought of various things I could do _to_and _with_my Edward.

Edward growled and I was sure that he could smell just how much I wanted him. I smiled sheepishly, blushing as always, and Edward purred at the sight, making me whimper almost inaudibly.

"You there," the instructor shouted, snapping me right out of my thoughts. Edward and I immediately stopped dancing; in fact, Edward froze as I looked up and around, frowning in confusion. The instructor was looking at Edward and me. Edward turned around to face the instructor, much as I had, but kept his arm wrapped around my waist. The way he was glaring at the instructor told me exactly what the instructor had been thinking.

"Dammit," I sighed, cussing under my breath. I looked up at the instructor and he was watching me, my every single fucking move. "Is something wrong, sir?"

Edward growled when I called him sir, snapping his jaw at something the instructor had thought. From the look of lust… for me… on the instructor's face, it had to be that he liked it when I called him sir…

How odd and—if I was being honest—_creepy_.

The instructor broke out of his lustful trance and smiled, showing all of his teeth in what he probably thought was an alluring smile. In all actuality, he looked like a fucker from one of those weird advertisements where they smile a whole lot.

_Ugh_, I thought to myself, _and he didn't even have good teeth_.

I shuddered and Edward looked down at me, kinda worried. I smiled reassuringly up at him and his expression filtered out as he calmed down. I smiled to myself, loving that I could calm him and his worries with just one look.

"No, Miss…?" The instructor asked, arrogant as he tried to break through and grab my attention from Edward. His thoughts must have echoed that, because Edward glared at him, a protectively angry snarl ripping through his lips, resonating from his chest. The arm that was wrapped around my waist tightened and gripped my hip possessively. I tried to keep the smile off my face, but I couldn't really succeed. After all, I loved my man when he got all... _possessive_; it was so sexy.

I trailed the hand that was behind Edward's back up and down, rubbing his back to calm him. My touch must have worked, because he calmed nearly instantly. I smiled up at him and replied, only looking at him to show that it was his attention that mattered. "Swan, sir; Isabella Swan."

The instructor stepped forward, once again trying to grab my attention. I felt Edward's muscles tense as he tried to fight his instincts of getting me the fuck out of there. I increased the pressure of my hand on his back and leaned into him, ignoring the instructor quite blatantly.

At this point, I didn't give a fuck what others thought. My Edward was obviously having trouble with the advances that this man was making on _his_mate. I wouldn't have that, but I also knew that as much as we wanted to leave, we couldn't.

So, I settled for ignoring the shithead. But seriously… what else could I do?

"Isabella," the man sang, trying to get my attention. I could hear the annoyance and frustration in his voice and I really had to trap my lips shut to stop the giggle from bursting through as it so wanted to.

"Yes, sir," I said, swallowing as I looked down to the ground.

"You seem quite capable of doing the cha-cha…" he mused aloud and I listened to the sound of his footsteps as they neared me. For some reason, the closer the proximity between me and this man, the more uneasy I became. I was restless by the time I could see his shoes and Edward was barely containing himself.

But then the man, the instructor, said something that took me off-guard. "Would you like to show the rest of the grade how to dance it… with me?"

My eyes widened and I couldn't help but look at him in shock. I frowned, terribly confused. "Um… no?"

He smirked at me and came forward. I leaned back as he did so, but I could still taste his breath he was breathing so harshly. "Are you sure?"

Edward piped up then and levelled a glare with the ass.

"Listen, _sir_," he lightly sneered the word 'sir' and I bit my lip. "Bella said that she does not want to. I am sure that you will be able to find plenty of _willing_participants. Please, I can see that my girlfriend is uncomfortable with your close proximity."

"Edward," I said quickly, quietly, as I looked around. Everyone was looking at us and I bit my lip. "It's fine, don't worry about it."

He looked down at me quickly and I gasped; his eyes were black with anger and protectiveness, a little of possessiveness there as well. "No, my love… it is not."

I smiled and leaned into him, to which he kissed my forehead, glaring at the man. He stuttered, visibly paling as he shuddered and stepped back, freaked. He swallowed and nodded, looking around at the other women, capturing everyone's attention just as the female instructor—the only one, an annoyingly attractive blonde—walked up toward us, her eyes on Edward.

I glared at her, my entire being singing with possessiveness and anger as she neared us. Edward—who was completely over his little possessive and very _attractive_rant—saw that I was struggling and immediately leaned down to rub his cheek against mine. It didn't look weird and I smiled as I leaned against him, to which he purred.

But she didn't stop, and then she was there, closing in, eying _my_Edward… my mate.

That was all I could hear: _mine, mine, mine, mine, my mate, he is mine!_

The closer she got and the more I saw of her—her breasts were practically jumping out of the clingy, slimming black top—the angrier and fiercer I got. I was practically clawing at Edward when she stopped in front of us.

"Hi there," she said, smiling alluringly, and I glared at her, stepping between her and my Edward when she took yet another step toward us. Her hand reached out to touch him slowly and I glared at her coldly, making her breathing almost stutter in her fright.

I was just beyond pissed. I mean, seriously, it was like a fucking circus and Edward was the main event. Couldn't anyone see that he was _mine_?

My eyebrow rose as I regarded the plastic bitch. She was perhaps an inch taller, her hips curvier. Her breasts were only bigger because they were so obviously fake.

"Did you need something?" I asked flatly, cocking my head to the side as I watched her. She swallowed, and with great satisfaction I noticed that it was with nervousness. I smiled cruelly and Edward growled, tightening his arms around me.

She looked down at me and smiled sweetly. "Actually, I was just wondering if I could show the other students how to dance with your—" she looked, or at least _tried_to look him up and down alluringly, but I was blocking her view "—_boyfriend_."

I looked up at Edward, my eyes wide as I tried to convey that I really didn't know what to do. I couldn't very well pummel her to ground, though I really fucking wanted to. My body was singing with the need to protect my territory, to show everyone in this fucking room that Edward was mine, only mine, and would only ever _be_ mine and only mine.

He smiled sweetly down at me and cupped my face. He leaned down and kissed my lips, effectively showing the bitch standing in front of us that he was perfectly happy where he was. I practically purred like a cat in affection and I swore to myself that I would give Edward a little something for being so good to me.

Not that he wouldn't have gotten it before… it would just be a whole lot better. I would make sure of that. He had to know that I appreciated his efforts; that I always appreciated his efforts.

When he released my lips, he leaned his chin on my shoulder and looked at the woman. I knew that he had to be polite, but I still didn't like that he had to apologize… even though he did anyway. "I am sorry, but I will not be able to oblige. My girlfriend and I do not like being around others who are clearly trying to make us jealous."

I smiled to myself in satisfaction as she looked down at me and glared. I levelled the glare with one of my own, one much fiercer than hers, and she shook with fear.

"Well, would you dance with Sarah then?" she asked, smiling at Edward.

The sound of air that washed out of me was so very fierce and angry that it was almost a growl. I stepped forward, nearly out of Edward's arms. I could feel Edward's eyes—and the rest of the Cullen family's eyes, for that matter—on me as I took to defending my mate.

"Listen," I said angrily and she looked down at me condescendingly. My anger flared to the degree that I literally could not control my actions or the words that left my mouth. "Edward just said that he was uncomfortable with that, ok? He doesn't want to dance with any one of you, only with me, and I feel the exact same way. That is something that we have tried to get across, both with you and with your little friend from before, but you _just don't get it_. Please stop annoying us, alright? Edward is _my_boyfriend and he is very happy with that. I am_his_ girlfriend and once again, I am happy with that fact. Got that?"

She swallowed and glared at me. "You don't deserve him. You are nowhere near as beautiful as what he needs."

I scoffed. "And you've seen him, what? Once? Yeah, well sorry, bitch, but uh… we've been together and perfectly content for a lot longer than that. Clear off and you won't get hurt, alright?"

She smirked and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "One day he's gonna realize that he's made a mistake. And then… he'll leave you."

I couldn't take it any longer. I leaned back, glared, and slapped her across the face. Her neck snapped to the side when that happened and she looked back at me in surprise, gripping her cheek. I smiled at her sweetly and leaned in. "Even if that does happen—which it won't, by the way—who would he go to? You?" I laughed, shaking my head at her and she glared at me. "Bitch, please… there's something distinctive about my Edward that you will never be able to give him."

"And what's that?" she said, affronted, glaring openly at me now.

"He likes real, natural women," I said, silently amending that he likes me and only me and that I am, in fact, his soul mate. "He likes women who don't have plastic breasts, women who don't have a fake tan, and women who plainly don't give a shit about makeup."

I closed in on her and smirked. "But above all… he prefers _brunettes_ who have brown eyes and pale skin… who are also slightly klutzy. He prefers and loves _me_."

I was well aware that I was most likely crossing the line. I was well aware that I could face suspension or something for my actions toward the instructor. But I couldn't fucking care less. She had been after my mate, trying to monopolize his attention, and I wasn't having that. Just as Edward was angry and protective and possessive of me with that male instructor, I was angry and protective and possessive with the bitch in front of me now.

"Are we clear?" I asked, bitch-brow cocked; I didn't back down, instead I stared at her, letting her see and _feel_my anger as it rolled off me in waves.

She swallowed and nodded, then walked away.

As soon as she was gone, Edward's lips were at my ear. "I love you, my precious love," he whispered and I smiled, melting into his arms… relaxing instantly.

"As I love you," I said and he kissed my neck before turning me around.

"Shall we dance?" he asked, smiling sweetly at me, and I giggled.

"Of course," I said, smiling back up at him just as the instructor turned on the next song. They had been teaching the rest of the students the waltz and wanted to test them about keeping time and such. She counted them in, but I wasn't paying attention to her.

My eyes were solely on Edward as I watched him and he leaned me in the waltz. The instrumental part of _Could I Have this Dance (For the Rest of My Life)_came on then and I smiled, closing my eyes in bliss. Edward was purring softly, making me feel… alive. I couldn't describe it… the intensity of our love for each other got me and I fell into another moment.

_"I'll always remember the song they were playin'__  
><em>_The first time we danced and I knew,__  
><em>_As we swayed to the music and held to each other,__  
><em>_I fell in love with you."_

The song was so very Irish, and as the voice of Daniel O'Donnell sang, I looked into Edward's eyes. They were shining with love for me and I sniffled, loving the feeling of being in his arms—of dancing with him—and the lyrics, god, they were just so perfect for how I was feeling at this moment. I let the lyrics wash over me, the sweetness of them unmistakable.

_"Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?__  
><em>_Would you be my partner every night?__  
><em>_When we're together it feels so right,__  
><em>_Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?_

_"I'll always remember that magic moment,_  
><em>When I held you close to me,<em>  
><em>'Cause we moved together, I knew forever<em>  
><em>You're all I'll ever need."<em>

Edward smiled down at me as he murmured the words and I sniffled, tears falling now. With every line, there was just something about Edward… something about the look in his eyes that just screamed, _"This is how I feel for you… listen, love."_

I closed my eyes, needing only Edward as I became overcome by emotion. Edward's lips were at my ear then, and he murmured every line into my ear with such love and compassion… it was like I was falling for him all over again.

_"Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?__  
><em>_Would you be my partner every night?__  
><em>_When we're together it feels so right,__  
><em>_Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?_

_"Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?_  
><em>Would you be my partner every night?<em>  
><em>When we're together it feels so right,<em>  
><em>Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?<em>  
><em>Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?"<em>

When the song finished, I pulled back and wrapped my arms around Edward's neck.

I was sure now… I was so very sure that he was the only one I would ever need. Not that I had ever thought otherwise but… this song held so much meaning, just as the last song that Edward had sung for me did.

"Bella?" he asked and I smiled.

"Take me home, baby," I said softly and he smiled down at me.

"Ok."

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah… sweet ending; I actually cried writing that. Gah!<strong>

**Anyways… next chapter picks up from here and we get a lemon… or three.**

**Here's the link to the song played (Daniel O'Donnell – Could I Have this Dance for the Rest of My Life): ****youtube watch?v=_SWuohOpadw**

**I don't have any hold over that song. The song and everything that goes with it is property and copyright to whoever wrote it etc.**

**Sorry, I'm not good at writing those… :D**

**Please review and tell me what you thought.**

**Oh and also, I need to know what you want for outtakes in Edward's POV. I'm having a little trouble and I need a few ideas… inspiration! Review them to me!**

**bexie25**


	15. The Triple Soul Connection

**Hello everyone!**

**I'm sorry it's taken so long! I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter. Particularly the ending, as there's a lot of information. It was a stale mate for a while, but here we are. I promise the next one won't take nearly this long.**

**This chapter as pretty much two sex scenes, one after the other. Because that's more than usual and they are closer together than usual, next chapter will not have one. I think that's a lot easier, because the sex scenes are both important… Hopefully, you'll see why.**

**If you don't like it, that's fine. I think it's rather important, but if you think there's too much sex, let me know. I am always open to criticism.**

**Please check out the outtakes… only three reviews for the last one, and they usual get more than or around 6. Each chapter. :D**

**Another think that's important:**

**I know a few of you thought that what happened between Bella and the female dance instructor was incredibly unrealistic and I thought so too, but it needed to happen. So near the end, it's explained and talked through with the characters. I hope that makes you understand why it happened and how Bella didn't get in trouble.**

**:D**

**I think that's all, but if I think of something, it'll be down the bottom.**

*****A/N: 21/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**Read, review and Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>We didn't speak as we made our way to Edward's car. My emotions—and I'm sure Edward's too—were out of control, so bad I could hardly even look at him. The need that I was feeling was ridiculous. It was so dominant and overpowering that I just <em>had<em> to touch him.

But I wouldn't… because if I did I would have surely lost control of myself.

I whimpered at the feeling of Edward's fingers as they ghosted up and down my thigh. My fingers clenched the air, at nothing, needing to feel Edward's skin (icy, pale and hard as it was) against them. I needed to feel him everywhere.

I fought with myself as Edward started the car and drove out of the parking lot. He drove us… somewhere; I couldn't see or feel or focus on anything but him. He was the focal point of my attention—of my _everything_ really—and I couldn't (and wouldn't) deviate even slightly.

We still didn't speak, only touching. Before I realized what I was doing, I had lost control of my limbs. My hand had made its way—having been clamped between my thighs in an effort to control myself—to rest comfortably and blissfully on Edward's jean-covered thigh.

Biting my lip, I squeezed his thigh, waiting and listening for his reaction.

He growled and the desire I heard made me moan in want. The electricity between us was at an all-time high, so strong that I thought I'd die if I didn't touch him.

But still, I did not look at him—I simply couldn't bring myself to—though I could feel him. I could feel his eyes on me as they watched my every instinctual and thoroughly needy move. We were like magnets, opposites… significantly and irrevocably drawn to one another.

I bit my lip again, harder this time, when Edward's hand slipped further up my thigh. He was so close to where I needed him… to where I was fucking _aching_ for him.

My own hand slid up further as well, and it soon curled around the front of his jeans, cupping his erection, letting my fingers graze over it through his jeans and boxer briefs. He moaned a growl and I smiled to myself, pleased that I could excite him in that way. It seriously never ceased to amaze me… _I_ did that to him: _me_, his _mate._

I smiled smugly as Edward looked over at me, his eyes black as night, desire smoldering within them. My eyes flickered over to him and I could hear him as he heaved long, desire-filled pants. Biting my lip, I finally made myself look at him… or rather I finally _let_myself look at him. I had been fighting against it so hard before, so hard that I simply did not have the strength or the desire to do it for even a second longer.

My breathing stopped just as my panties fucking flooded at the sight of my sinfully sexy mate.

He was… Edward was…

I whimpered.

My Edward was absolutely crazed with desire… _for me_. I felt my being flood with pride as I regarded his pitch black eyes, his fucking _heaving_chest, and his tongue as it swiped across his lip, wetting it… darkening it just slightly.

His eyes were hungry as they watched my every move.

I swear I moaned, but I couldn't be sure because in his aroused state he'd managed to dazzle me… _again._

"Sweet love?" Edward whispered, half-turning to face me in his seat. His hand reached out to touch me and my entire body leaned towards his hand as if we were magnets, whimpers bursting through my half-open lips. He cupped my face and my eyes closed instantly, feeling the sense of belonging and love and happiness… everything I always felt in Edward's presence.

A part of me very suddenly realized that we had stopped, that we were parked outside the Cullen house and simply sitting there in the car.

I wouldn't be able to tell you when that happened, however. My attention was and had been… otherwise involved.

"Yeah, baby?" I asked softly and I realized that I was just as out of breath, just as _aroused,_as my mate, my vampire, my Edward was. I swallowed, desperately wanting to calm the fuck down.

"I want you. Now," he whispered, his tone so sinfully sexy and deadly that I just… lost control.

"Then _fucking_ take me," I said strongly, passionately, practically begging. My voice cracked, raw with desire, and he growled.

He picked me up then and I gasped when I realized that he had just gotten out of the car and whizzed around to get me out… because he wanted me… _now_, as he had said.

My panties were soaked as he ran us down to the cottage, faster than lightning.

When we reached the cottage, we did not take our time. We barged in and Edward raced us toward the bedroom.

We just made it, but by now we were practically fucking _shaking_with need.

I whimpered and Edward grunted as we stripped ourselves of our clothing, eyeing each other for glimpses of naked skin. As soon as we were bare before one another, we reached out for the other and our bodies collided with a delicious thud, the electricity shooting through us making needy but pleasured sounds rip from our throats.

"God, you're fucking beautiful," Edward said and I gasped at the sound of dirty words from his angelic lips. My head snapped up, my eyes ripping away from his erection and up to his face. They were the blackest I'd ever seen them, which was definitely saying something.

It seemed that Edward was completely and utterly unable to control himself as he picked me up, growling. My arms immediately wrapped around his neck as his hands reached down to my creamy thighs, wrapping them tightly around his hips, placing me _right_over his erection.

I groaned, my head falling with a thump to his shoulder.

But then my back hit something flat and cold and I looked up and around.

My core flooded again; Edward was going to fuck me against the wall.

But I couldn't think of anything, because right in that moment, Edward entered me swiftly, in one full thrust.

My head fell back hard and I arched my back, pressing myself into him at the feeling of him suddenly in me; the pleasure was indescribable as Edward pulled out again and then thrust into me hard. He did it over and over again, relentlessly, until I was fucking begging him to just come with me.

I was on the brink when he pulled out of me, making me whine at the loss.

He smirked at me, panting, as he walked us over to the bed. He threw me down and I watched him—leaning up on my elbows, legs clamped and rubbing together, needing friction… needing _Edward_ like air—as he climbed up onto the bed, his eyes locked onto mine as if I were his prey.

It was so… _hmmm_.

I was practically salivating when he separated my legs, settling himself comfortably on his stomach between them. He looked up at me for a moment before picking up my right leg. Our eyes watched each other as he kissed wet, suckling, open-mouthed and licking kisses from that unexpectedly sweet spot behind my knee all the way to my apex.

I was throbbing by the time he reached it but he did not relent. He let that leg drop to the bed before picking up my left leg and doing the exact same thing.

His nostrils flared, his eyes closing, and he growled as he inhaled right near my core, inches away from it. I felt the coldness of his breath fan across my folds and I bit my lip to keep from groaning in want and desperation.

He opened his eyes and licked his lips slowly, seductively, watching me the whole time.

He hummed. "Oh my love… to smell how much you need me…" He inhaled again and growled, making me thrash, but he held me down softly and shook his sex-hair filled head. "Stay still, my sweet girl. I'm going to lick you and suck you until you come, but _only_ if you're a good girl and _only_ if you stay _still_."

To hear him swear and talk like this to me—something he said he usually found rather disrespectful—was completely and utterly fucking sexy and I only needed him more. I whimpered, my jaw locking as a strange impulse washed through me.

In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to fucking bite him and claim him as _mine_.

_Only I_ could and would hear him swear.

_Only I_ would feel him pounding into me or making love to me softly and lovingly.

_Only I_ would be with him in any way, shape, or form as his mate, for all eternity.

_Only. Me_.

"What is it, sweetheart?" he cooed as he slowly licked at my hot center, from one end to the other. I licked my lips, propping myself up on my elbows, craning my neck, desperately trying to watch him. I moaned as he licked that sweet path again, only to stop right at my swollen nub.

"_Mine_, Edward," I whined, arching up to his torturous mouth as he flicked his tongue over it.

He smiled against me, seeming to understand my sudden dilemma and need to claim him. "Yours, my darling; I am yours, completely and irrevocably… just as you are mine."

I nodded, my eyes closed, and I arched up into him again, bucking my hips into his face, making his mouth wrap around my nub.

And then he sucked. Hard.

I screamed, grabbing his hair and pulling.

He bit down on my clit and I screamed even louder.

But then he stopped his blissful motions and my head snapped forward to look at him. He was smiling sweetly at me, my essence on his lips, and I watched his tongue, completely entranced, as he licked it off his sweet, sweet lips.

I whimpered.

"Did you know, my love," he said, looking up at me through his eyelashes. My breathing was shallow. "That I adore smelling how much you desire me?"

He lapped at me some more, his tongue faintly flickering my clit, and I groaned, shaking my head. It was too much… what he was doing to me was just. Too. Much. His voice speaking like that—dirty yet still somewhat old fashioned—combined with his actions…

_Ugh._

"But what is more, my love," he said and I swear I went off into my own world. Finally, fucking _finally_, my Edward was talking dirty to me. It had been a fantasy of mine since our first time and I was getting it… right now.

It was all I could do not to fuck the senses out of him.

"Nothing is as glorious as knowing that I can _feel_your need for me—your sweet, _sweet_ arousal—on my fingers, my lips, and my tongue." And then, he was there. Right there, bringing me quickly to the brink once again. His tongue flicked and sucked on my nub as his fingers delved quickly into me. I whimpered, moaned, and groaned, thrashing in his hardly restraining arms.

Then he did the most amazing thing… he stopped and looked up at me, his eyes black as midnight, his face smirking and sinful. "Oh, and on my cock," he whispered before delving back to my center.

But… oh god, it was enough. His words—those dirty, sexy words—coming out from his twentieth century, usually gentlemanly, mouth pushed me over the edge and I gripped his hair, tugging on it as I yelled out his name.

~O~

A couple of weeks later, I was lying on my stomach in my room, playing with my shiny new laptop. I smiled thinking about it. Edward had given it to me last week, completely out of the blue, stating that my computer was too old for good use.

Looking at it, I couldn't help but agree.

I was studying for an end of topic test that was really important for Biology. Having not really been paying attention during the classes—because, well, a lot of them were videos and Edward and I still hadn't quite been able to control ourselves during those occasions—I was a little behind.

_Edward_, being the fast vampire that he is, had already completed his study with his damned photographic mind.

I, being the _human_ in this relationship, was still working on the study part.

I sighed, looking down at the notes. Even with Edward just downstairs—as opposed to up at the Cullen house or in our cottage—I couldn't concentrate. My arms were aching to have him with me, to wrap them around his waist and just stand there… forever. Not only that, but I just had this feeling that something was going to happen… something… _bad_.

And _soon_.

Edward came in through the door then and I smiled, looking up at him, as I shoved the books closed and aside. He climbed up onto the bed and I wrapped my arms around his neck as he loomed over me.

This…_this_ _right here_… being in Edward's arms was what I lived for. It was all I needed in the world.

I sighed as he purred, calming me as if he could—and now that I thought of it, I was sure that he really could—feel my anxiety.

"My love," he cooed happily, still purring like a lion. Having discussed Edward's preferences when it came to the animals that he drank from, I found that thought funny and somehow ironic. But then, of course, Edward's voice brought me back to the present. "What is wrong? I could feel your anxiety from in the kitchen. Is there something displeasing you, my sweet angel?"

He was stroking my hair and that alone nearly made me unable to speak. The sweetness with which he spoke just about drove me wild with love for him, but I mulled over his words, and it was them that made me crash down to earth again.

I sighed and leaned back to look at him. My eyes were lazy, dreams having come over me like the plague, causing me to not be able to sleep. Edward had been worried and panicked out of his mind all night, trying to comfort me and protect me from something that not only was not real, but something I wouldn't tell him about.

_I'm perfectly safe here,_I had to keep telling myself as I'd sobbed in Edward's comforting arms. _Renée doesn't care enough to take me away from Dad… or Edward. Surely._

I just hoped that I was right.

I decided to keep it light. "We've been awfully" –my hands trailed across his skin, gliding toward his chest which was very nicely exposed by his unbuttoned shirt– "_touchy_ lately… haven't we?"

He swallowed, frowning as he tried to make sense of my words. "I suppose, but does that really bother you in such a way?"

I closed my eyes, swallowing. Huffing out a breath of tension and frustration, I got off the bed—still in his arms—then detached myself from him completely and went to stand over by the door. The tension between us, the electricity that sung in the room only made it harder, and everything within me screamed protesting arguments, wanting Edward back in my arms, surrounding me in every possible way.

I looked back at him and he looked at me, hurt and so very confused, almost like a boy, and my breath hitched, thoughts of regret and self-hatred wafting through my brain.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" I whispered hoarsely and Edward's knees started to shake at the sound of my pain, my chest now cracking wide open at his. I ran to him, whimpering and nearly crying, hauling myself into his arms as we panted, our chests no longer voids and empty with pain, but large and full of love.

We shook, me sweating and Edward growling and panting as we melted into one another, every curve and dip of mine covered and filled by my Edward.

I sniffled into my mate's neck, the contrast of his coldness and the sun on my skin somehow pleasurable. "It shouldn't be this bad, Edward," I said, closing my eyes as tears seeped through and spilled onto his neck. At the feeling of my tears on his neck, Edward moved his body underneath me so that we could look into each other's eyes. Edward frowned and cupped my cheek and I moved my head, rubbing my other cheek on his shoulder, needing his comfort. "Dammit, it hurts to so much as move! Something is going to happen, Edward! I just know it! Something is going to happen!"

He rubbed his cheek against me anywhere he could reach, his breath fanning across my face. "Perhaps we should speak with Carlisle?"

His breath washed over me and I mewled, melted into him, my body molding to fit against his. "If you think that's best…" I whispered, my voice breaking slightly and then I shuffled slightly to look into his eyes.

And then, when our eyes met, the electricity elevated again and our eyelids grew heavy, Edward's eyes growing black with lust.

A fiery need hit us with crippling strength.

Suddenly, as if we were blinded by our need for each other—which I suppose we were, as it was all we could think about—clothes were being tugged and pulled and ripped off and then we were bare to each other, lusting looks of passion on our faces. The air, the electricity was so thick I could barely breathe but it wasn't uncomfortable. Oh no, it was the most amazing, blissful thing I'd ever experienced.

"Please," I whispered against his lips as they brushed feverously against mine. I licked my lips, the shock of electricity making me go crazy as my tongue touched Edward's. He growled, smashing his lips to mine, pushing me into the mattress as his hands reached down to my legs, wrapping them around his hips. I moaned and bucked my hips into his hard length and he whimpered in desperation.

I craved more; I craved the dirty, dirty, sexy man that had made his first appearance only two weeks ago. Since that day, Edward had been more vocal, but never to the capacity that he had been then.

I missed it, but I had no idea how to _make_him do it. Edward was a gentleman at heart, finding anything like that vile and wrong.

I also knew that this wasn't exactly the time for it; this would be making love, not fucking, and so my dirty vampire wouldn't make an appearance this time. This would be my Edward's cool, somewhat calm and doting mate that knew that his love needed only what he could give.

But I was pulled from my thoughts at the feeling of Edward's cold erection as it grinded against my core, just where I wanted him and needed him.

"Edward, please," I whispered desperately, swallowing as tears welled in my eyes. "Please," I whispered again, brushing my wet lips against his.

"What, my love?" he asked of me, just as desperate. "What do you need, darling? Merely tell me and I'll give it to you; I'll give you everything."

That made my breath hitch; his loving, devoted words made me begin to sob and it was a matter of minutes before I could speak again. Edward's purr vibrated against me, shaking me and bringing me back to the present.

But there was desperation, too; hell, I wanted him in many ways—every way possible—so terribly that I didn't know where to begin! And so I told him that; I opened up to him.

"I want everything," I whispered against his lips, looking into his loving, smoldering eyes. Ones that saw that their mate was lost and wanted to do everything they could to fix that… to help me. "I want you to make love to me, I want your mouth, your kisses… dammit, I can't think! I don't know!"

He smiled sweetly at me and then leaned down to coo softly into my ear, "Then let me take care of you, my special one. Let me be the mate you deserve. Let yourself go and let me take over… you are in no fit state to take care of yourself… let _me_ do that_for_ you."

I nodded, closing my eyes. I laid perfectly still as Edward's lips descended upon the skin of my neck and upper chest; he delivered soft, wet, and loving kisses down my neck—flicking licks and light nips along the way—down to my collarbone. He sucked on it softly, developing what must have been an impressive mark because he purred in satisfaction and desire when he pulled back to look at it.

With my eyes closed, I could focus on _how_it _felt_not what it _looked_like or how much it turned me on to watch him.

But this was so much better.

I gasped, arching of the bed as his lips touched my breasts, just the swell of them. But then, his lips fell apart against my skin and he placed cold, melting and wet kisses, trailing a hot trail of fire, despite the coldness of him, down to my very erect and aching nipple.

"Oh," I whimpered, air escaping me as he lapped and lapped at it, flicking it with a delicious roll of his tongue. Meanwhile the fingers of his right hand were pulling, tugging, twisting and pinching the other nipple.

The sensations shot straight down to my core, my arousal and need for him practically dripping onto the bed. I grabbed the hair on the back of his head, holding his against my breast with all the strength I had. He growled a lustful groan, moaning as I tugged on his hair and I smiled, pushing my head back into the pillows.

He paid avid attention to my breasts, more than he ever did, which was definitely something as he loved to pleasure me and play with me and my breasts.

But soon, it was not enough and I pulled back on his hair, hard. He seemed to understand that I wanted him to stop and I finally opened my eyes, only to squeeze the legs that were wrapped around him so tightly.

Without a word, he seemed to comprehend that I wanted him in me and I wanted him in me now. And so, with a loving smile, his gorgeous midnight eyes smoldering even in their still-darkening depths, he entered me softly, sweetly. My breath hitched just as he closed his eyes, letting his head fall to the crook of my neck to which he pressed kisses.

Being one with my love, my vampire had never felt so good, so much like home. It grounded me, making me finally calm down somehow as it also started a sort of frenzy within me.

He was gentle in his caring thrusts, murmuring words of love and happiness against my skin. I wished I could do the same, but I could not. I was too far gone in the feeling of us, together as one.

He leaned back then and I wrapped my arms around his neck as he propped himself up slightly on his elbows. He looked down at me with such love, such devotion that I cried anew. He brushed the tears away with his lips, murmuring all the pet names I had loved instantly.

What he was doing to me… with me… and saying to me had me wanting to feel him everywhere. And so with a smile through my tears and a sniffle, I pushed against his chest.

"Up, up," I whimpered, trying to convey what I wanted. I was shaking; my every impulse and need was Edward. I wasn't strong without him, especially in this moment.

As if he could read my mind, though we knew he can't, he smiled at me, hushed me and sat up. When he did that, his arousal slipped out of me and I protested, pulling at his hair and hardly pliable skin with desperation. But again, he hushed me, smiling. He sat, cross legged, and then pulled me along with him and wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist.

But it was when his length slipped inside of me again that I truly lost it. I cried out at how deep he was within me, wrapping my arms around his neck even tighter and I hoisted myself up a little higher and off his thighs. I gripped his waist with my legs, still shaking with need and he growled, thrusting just a little harder into me, and simultaneously my lips slammed down onto his, my tongue forcing its way into his already half-open mouth.

I whimpered as the electricity heightened _again_as our tongues slid against each other, sucking. His moan vibrated through his body, right down to where we were connected.

Having already been on the brink, we gasped into each other's mouths as the vibration threw us over the edge. I moaned his name as he purred mine, sagging against him as all the tension finally left my body, making me feel incredibly weak.

"Oh, Edward," I sighed, pressing kisses to his shoulder before looking up at him.

He was watching me, just as emotionally and mentally drained. He smiled down at me, needing to know nothing more before he pulled me up the bed and tucked us into the sheets.

I fell asleep on top of him, straddling him lazily, my head on his chest with his length still within me.

~O~

"Hi," I said to the hospital receptionist. Edward was behind me, his arms wrapped around me. Even after our love making this morning we could not let go of one another. We'd showered together, helped each other get dressed—or rather, we'd dressed each other—and we'd walked everywhere either holding hands or with an arm wrapped around the other. It was starting to really worry me, this need to be constantly touching, but at the same time, a part of me didn't even care. It was nice to feel Edward with me, _holding_ me all the time.

It was _nice_to feel _needed_.

"Hi," the receptionist said and I moved my body to the side just as Edward buried his face in my hair when she tried to get a look of him. I smiled to myself; it seemed that Edward didn't want to be ogled at just as much as I didn't want other bitches looking at my fuck-hot vampire.

_Mine,_the inner possessive mate within me growled mentally at her, shining through in the glare I fixed at her. I cleared my throat, still glaring with a single, dangerous eyebrow raised, and she jumped as she looked back at me. I forced myself to smile pleasantly at her, against my better judgment. "Is Doctor Carlisle Cullen available? His son, Edward, and I need to talk to him."

She smiled sweetly, but something in her eyes made me think that she saw me as a piece of dirt. Edward growled lowly behind me, tightening his arms around me.

_So I was right then,_my mind mused, only really half interested, as I quickly rubbed Edward's hand and arm, comforting him. He purred and I smiled, happy with my influence.

"Um, I'm really sorry," she said but I could tell from the small smirk that had her lips twitching that she wasn't any such thing, "but he's currently unavailable. You'll have to come back at another time."

I sighed then leaned forward over the desk. She leaned slightly back. "Listen, this is important. Page him. It's a family… well, I wouldn't necessarily call it an emergency, but its urgency is that of one."

She looked at me and nodded, her mouth hanging open. "Uh… huh. Yeah. Ok."

I smiled pleasantly. "Thanks."

Edward snickered into my hair and then his head was to the right of me, his lips at my ear. "I love it when you're possessive, my goddess."

"Ooh," I sighed, licking my lips at the name. I turned around in his arms. "Well, for that one you get a kiss, baby," I cooed against him, looking innocently up at him.

He growled, slamming his lips against mine, making me whimper. His hands were on my ass, gripping and kneading, and I thanked him for having enough sense to be possessive by making my behind face the desk. He was going to kiss me further, but it was then that I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I squeaked, leaning back, my head snapping around to my right.

Hello," Carlisle said, thoroughly amused. A smile was playing on his lips, but he was determined to not let it show. I looked at Edward, blushing, and then we both smiled at Carlisle, who chuckled. "Alright, let us go to my office. From what you…" he smiled at me briefly before shaking his head "… _said_to our receptionist, it seems you have something important to tell me."

I nodded, feeling Edward as he did the same.

Carlisle led us to the elevators, watching both Edward and me as we wrapped our arms around each other and leaned in against the other. There was a crease in his forehead, a concerned one, as he watched us but he couldn't for much longer because we were then on the floor that had his office on it.

We walked quickly to his office and he ushered us in, closing the door before flying over to his seat and sitting down. Edward and I carefully sat down in our own chairs, but groaned quietly a second later. I quickly jumped up and sat down on Edward's lap and we both sighed as he wrapped his arms around my stomach, pulling me back against him. I laid my head on his shoulder, my temple against his as we looked at an inquisitive Carlisle.

He braced his elbows on the table, fisting one hand and resting the other over it before leaning his head down onto his hands. He looked between us, studying us for a moment and we let him, wondering if it was really _that_obvious that something was wrong… that we were nervous about something.

He sighed. "Alright, please… just tell me what has happened. What's wrong?"

I swallowed, making Edward growl and he purred softly into my ear, combining it with his special growl for me. Surprisingly, that worked better than just his growl.

Edward spoke first, for which I was grateful. "Bella brought to my attention today that we've been acting quite... unusually, I suppose is the right phrase."

Carlisle raised an eyebrow. "And how's that?"

I smiled. Carlisle at times was old fashioned and it was only in those times when it was believable that he was as old as he was. It was also one of the times that the similarities between Edward and his father in all the ways that mattered, Carlisle, really shone through.

I looked at Edward and he nodded his head, telling me to proceed. "It's just… this little voice in my head is screaming at me. It's telling me that something is wrong and I don't know what it is. We were wondering if you could help us figure out why we're reacting like this."

Carlisle sat still and silent for many minutes.

He looked between us, a curious little frown on his brow. Finally, he spoke. "Just what do you think is going to happen?"

"I don't know," I said, frowning, my voice dropping in volume as it wavered. Edward tightened his arms around me, something that Carlisle picked up immediately with his curious, calculating eyes. "But it's something that is making the inner mating instincts of all three of our connections push us together… and it's really starting to scare me."

Edward growled at my admission. Faster than lightning, his head flashed down to my neck and he nuzzled his nose against me. Gradually, I began to calm down.

Carlisle frowned, looking between us. "I can most definitely see that, but would you mind explaining what you mean exactly."

I ticked them off my fingers. "Our physical connection is so high strung that we cannot go without touching. It hurts and aches to not be touching for more than a few seconds, let alone _move_if we aren't touching or in each other's arms. Our mental connection has us reading each other and what the other might be thinking better than ever and our emotional connection is… just-"

My bottom lip quivered and my breath hitched as I leaned back into Edward's arms. Tears welled up and I sniffled as they fell. Edward purred, cooing loving things, trying to calm me down however he could. When that didn't work, he made a broken sound—which in turn just about broke my heart—before growling my growl.

He turned me around in his arms and I instinctively straddled him, feeling completely and utterly off the radar. I had no control as I sobbed deeply, burrowing into Edward's chest.

I shook in Edward's arms as he held me, rocking me slowly and calmingly, all the while growling my growl. I looked up at him. His eyes were clenched closed, pain all over his features, and I cupped his face in both hands for a second, loving the electricity before I plastered every inch of my body into his front.

Minutes later, we were both calm and we looked at Carlisle, who was deeply concerned as he looked between us.

He got up slowly and walked around the table, leaning against it. His stare was piercing, calculating, and I could see he was working through what had happened. His intelligent mind was probably feeding him ideas that he sought through and regarded or disregarded based on evidence or lack thereof.

"Let's go through each of the connections'… _reactions_ in more detail," he said and I was pleasantly surprised to hear him struggle with his choice of words; though I could practically _see_ his mind working a thousand miles a second.

I sighed and fell back into Edward's arms. I didn't want to talk about it, knowing that it would probably get out of hand. On the other hand, I knew that we had to do something about it. I knew that it was important for us to let this go—or at least try to—and get help on this.

Besides Eleazar, Carlisle was the most knowledgeable person about couples that have all three connections.

"Before you start," Carlisle said, looking at Edward and me. He smiled softly and continued, "Perhaps I should tell you a little more about what you are."

I frowned, confused. "What we are? What do you mean?"

Carlisle smiled. "That's what I am going to explain." He walked over to us carefully, as if testing something unstable, and smiled when he could stand a few feet away from us without a reaction. "Would you like to sit on the couches? It might be easier if we're all more comfortable."

I looked at Edward, who shrugged and smiled softly, silently communicating that it was my decision. I shrugged and nodded, then got up. I whimpered as my body disengaged from Edward's touch completely.

Carlisle was watching us intently and I could tell immediately that this was some kind of test. I knew that it would have to be important; if it wasn't, he would have instructed us otherwise. So I came up with an idea and looked at Edward, telling him without so much as blinking to let me go as much as I could manage.

I was around five feet away from Edward when it happened.

I gasped at the pain in my chest and before I knew it, I was on the ground. My body caved in on itself and I trembled on the floor as my heart pounded painfully, calling out for Edward's.

Edward growled a mournful, pained growl and it sounded almost like a wolf's howl. I heard him, listened to his every move—hanging onto it as if it was the last thread of control and sanity—as he moved closer and closer. With each step, I felt my body's reaction as it anticipated his touch, his proximity.

Despite this, my eyes closed out of weakness and I whimpered, not having the strength to fight my body as it shut down around me.

I felt like I was trapped; I wanted to scream, to cry; to _beg_ for some kind of mercy…

… But I couldn't; I couldn't so much as _move_.

More than anything, I wanted Edward and I prayed to a god that I hated—with all my might—that he, my Edward, my mate, would be here soon.

The unexpected jolt of electricity that occurred when Edward finally touched me—a mere second after I had fallen to the ground—caused them to fly open.

I looked wildly around the room for him, everything in a haze as my instincts told me that he was in danger, that he was hurting somehow. I swear I growled at the sheer possibility, at the thought of Edward being hurt. Pictures and ideals appeared in my head; they were impossible to shake, but so familiar.

I'd seen those very pictures… images again and again in my dreams. The very dreams that I'd woken from, crying and sobbing…

They haunted me—scared me and taunted me—their evilness shaking me to the point where I no longer wanted sleep.

The feline mate within me roared in frustration as I looked around, still unable to find him.

I inhaled and the scents around me assaulted me. But what shocked me more than anything was that as my body grew more aware…

I _felt_him.

Not physically, not a touch… no, this was something else, something more. I didn't know what it was. I wouldn't have been able to describe it… it was surreal but… but it was everything.

Simply magical, it was vital.

A lifeline.

Using that sense, I looked around to my right, immediately seeing him. I reached a shaky hand up to his face, biting my lip to keep from whimpering when I touched it and our electricity sparked fire.

His eyes closed and he purred as he leaned into my touch. He rubbed his cheek against the palm of my hand and I shifted closer to him in his arms, watching him intently. Electricity thrummed between us, thriving, and with it, we grew steadily stronger, getting over the strange and fast ordeal we'd just experienced.

I had forgotten that Carlisle was even in the room—not to mention where we were—until he gently, almost silently, cleared his throat.

I could tell by his approach that he was trying to make it clear that he meant no harm. I knew that, Edward knew that, but I couldn't stop myself from burrowing into Edward's chest even more. I wanted to be with him alone; I needed him, every cell in my body crying out for his touch, for his solace.

But, alas, we wouldn't get it and I suddenly remembered just what we were doing here.

Edward picked me up, still purring and rubbing his cheek against my hand as he walked us over to the couch. I huddled into him, closing my eyes as I breathed in his scent.

I heard Carlisle as he came through to the couches as well. I was surprised I could hear him at all; he usually moved silently. Part of my mind registered that he was probably trying to be as loud as he could without it being completely ridiculous so we didn't react.

I glanced at him, hoping he could see the thanks. He must have, because he smiled before sitting down across from us.

"Is this alright?" he asked, eyeing Edward, and I glanced up at my mate.

Edward swallowed, a crease forming on his brow as he eyed his father. His jaw locked and he swallowed, never even blinking. "It is fine."

That was all he said, but we all relaxed at the three simple words.

Carlisle sighed. "Would you like to begin?"

We nodded, but a question came to mind and bubbled to my lips. "Just a question."

Carlisle smiled. "Yes, Bella?"

"Well," I said, sitting up so my back was against Edward's chest. He purred and wrapped his arms around me again, tightly. "I was just wondering why you didn't tell us all of this before."

He smiled. "Truthfully, I didn't know," he said and I frowned in confusion, willing him to continue. And he did, thankfully. "Alice came to me today, perhaps two hours before you did, and told me to talk to Eleazar about the background of what your connection is. She didn't tell me why and I didn't ask." He smiled at Edward for a moment. "I knew that if there was a situation, one or, more likely, both of you would come to me. So I did as Alice told me to. Eleazar was only too happy to oblige and we talked up until just a few moments before you two arrived."

I nodded, settling back into Edward again, trying to relax. For some reason, I had a feeling that what was going to be uncovered would be important. More so, I knew that it would be hard to hear.

"Alright," I said, sighing. "Lay it on us."

I felt Edward's smile against my hair.

"You—or rather, your connection, is called _la triple âme connexion_, meaning the triple soul connection." He settled into his chair, looking at us for a moment. "I don't know when or where or _who_the first couple was. No one does. However, I do know of one… rather _unfortunate_ case."

Edward gasped, "No." He was in a state of disbelief and shock as he looked to his father for confirmation.

"Yes," Carlisle said, frowning slightly.

_This is bad,_I thought to myself just as I looked up. I frowned, whimpering at the look on my mate's face. It was a fair mix of dread, shock and pain. That I didn't know what was happening made my panic worse.

Edward, feeling my anxiety, shook out of it and looked down at me, smiling. I smiled back, my frown clearing as I kissed his jaw.

"What is it?" I asked, frustrated. I hated it when I was out of the loop, especially with something bad.

"Has Edward told you about the Volturi?" Carlisle asked, watching me, and I nodded.

"Yeah, he did."

He nodded. "Good. Did you know that Marcus of the Volturi-"

"Wait," I said, biting my lip, "Is that the one with the relationship radar thing?"

Carlisle chuckled, "Yes, he would be the one."

I nodded. "Ok, sorry. Continue."

He smiled. "Well, they are the first couple that have—or rather, _had_—the connection that you have. They are the first _la triple âme connexion_ that has been recorded."

"What happened to them?" I asked, frowning as I recalled the word '_had_'. Edward just growled again, telling me that this was bad.

Carlisle's face crumpled. "The greed that Aro and Caius harbored made them do horrible things."

"They should be dead," Edward hissed angrily and I could tell that his anger was taking over him. His voice grew louder with each word. "How could Marcus have not killed them after they did that?"

Carlisle sighed, "Edward, it isn't as simple as that. By the time he found out who did it, he was too weak to do anything about it. Ever since it happened, he's been the shell of the man he once was."

"Hey," I protested, looking between the two of them. Their conversation wasn't making any sense to me and I had a feeling that this was important. I pointed to myself. "I don't read minds, so I have no idea what's going on. Slow down and tell me the story," I commanded and then turned to Edward and smiled, watching as his expression immediately softened. "Edward, baby, please calm down. This is something that we obviously need to know."

He sighed and nodded, pulling me closer to him, and I melted into his arms. "Sorry, my darling, forgive me, please. Carlisle, continue on."

Carlisle nodded, taking in a deep breath. "You must understand, Bella. This was before I was even born as a human. The times were tough, even more so for the vampires of that time than it was for me. The legends and myths were common place, monsters were known by the world. It was not like it is nowadays, with everyone hardly believing them."

I nodded, already knowing this. "So, we're talking the medieval times."

Carlisle smiled. "Yes, yes we are. Didyme and Marcus first met and fell in love in ancient times, instantly feeling as you did—right down to the electricity that you have both described. But it is not time that is important, I just needed to tell you of the back story before we got to the most… pressing part of the story."

I just nodded, Edward's arms tightening around me as I leaned back into them.

"There were times that they were separated, for one reason or another," Carlisle said. "The most common reason was that before Marcus found his mate, the Volturi took their wives with them. However, when Marcus found his mate, because of their connection, he refused to bring her with him for fear of putting her in danger."

I frowned, completely misunderstanding the logic. "But surely the safest place for her is to be with him! And-and what about the pain? If it's hard for Edward and me when we're in the same town, then across continents would have been torture!"

Carlisle smiled and nodded sadly. "It was… and so after a while, Marcus stayed with her while the two brothers dealt with the troubles that came across. It angered the brothers, what with all the rumors of discord between them. Well, that and the fact that together, the couple could have taken over at any moment. With Aro and Caius's thirst for power, their minds twisted their views so terribly that they thought that together, their brother and his mate were threats. The truth of the matter, however, is that they didn't care. Marcus and Didyme were not the type to want power. They were closed off from that aspect of leadership; it was their compassion that ran their minds. And so, the brothers decided that they must do something about it."

"Oh god," I gasped almost silently, able to guess what was coming next. "But… how do you know all of this?"

Carlisle smiled. "Marcus told me himself when I lived with them… Edward told you my story, did he not?"

I nodded.

"They somehow convinced Marcus to come along with them, telling him that his gift was needed greatly." Carlisle's voice was hoarse, no emotion laced within it anywhere. "All the while, a small fleet of their men surrounded Marcus and Didyme's chamber. She was so in pain, not used to her mate's distance, that she did not notice as they closed in."

"No," I gasped, horrified. Some part of my mind was already replacing Marcus and his Didyme for Edward and me and it hurt; it burned, tearing at my heart strings. "Why did they do that? How could they do that to their own brother?"

Edward growled, "Caius and Aro are power hungry and egotistical."

Carlisle nodded gravely. "That is true, but it's also because _la triple âme connexion_mated vampires are exceedingly more powerful, in all aspects. It frightened the brothers and they made arrangements."

I shook my head, my mind numb. "Does Marcus know?"

"Oh yes," Carlisle said, pain taking over his features. "When he first found out, he tried to kill them. But he could not, he was too weak. So now he merely tolerates them. Chelsea is the only one that keeps them together."

"Chelsea?" I asked, intrigued. "What can she do? What's her power?"

"She forges relationships; breaks them down, or brings them together," Carlisle said. "That's how they keep most of the guard from fighting and such."

I nodded silently, leaning into Edward for support.

"Why are you telling us this, Carlisle?" Edward whispered, his cool breath fanning across my hair and I shivered in delight, humming.

Carlisle smiled. "That is where it gets interesting. You know the moments that you have?"

We nodded, watching him carefully, wondering where he was going with this.

"Well, it appears that they had them too. But what is more is that before their separation, and up to the time of Didyme's death, they felt what you are feeling right now. It was what signaled to them that something bad was going to happen. They felt your pain, your need, your strength from each other."

That just confirmed it, and suddenly I was very frightened. So I had been right, in the end. Something was coming for us; something bad.

"And the ridiculously possessive nature," I said, tracing the dead veins in Edward's arm as I thought of the dancing incident.

"Ah, yes," Carlisle said, smiling to himself. He was probably thinking of the same incident. "I see. You know, after the two of you left, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice had to use their vampiric gifts of manipulation to make sure the woman wouldn't say anything. As it was, Jasper made sure no one looked on to your… _performances_."

I blushed, ashamed, looking down. "I'm sorry… I just couldn't… help it."

"And that's part of your connection. You are connected in every way, more so than any of the other mating partners of our family. It only makes sense that in times of trouble, you can sense that your mate is feeling uncomfortable or such and you endeavor to work through it."

"I guess," I said, shrugging non-committedly. I still didn't think that excused my behavior, but I saved the argument.

"Right, well I think the best thing for you two is for you to be together," he said and we nodded nervously.

"So what do we do?" I asked, looking between Edward and Carlisle. "I can't very well just stay with you out of the blue."

Carlisle smiled and his intelligence of nearly four hundred years shone through. "No, but it doesn't have to be out of the blue."

I frowned. "Huh?"

"Would you like to have dinner with us tonight?" Carlisle asked, smiling. "We could always talk it through then, with the rest of the family there to give ideas. It would be easier than anything else."

"Um," I said, thinking for a moment. "Ok."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. The surprise of it made me jump and Edward growl.

"Carlisle," Edward said, wrapping his arms around me from behind. He dropped calming kisses to my shoulder and neck as he spoke to his father. "We should go now. Bella is sure to be hungry. We shall go back to Charlie's house. That way we can sort out a way to make it impossible for Bella to not be able to stay with us. We shall continue this conversation later."

We said our goodbyes and left, making our way to the car.

"My love, what is wrong?" Edward asked as he opened my door. I smiled and took his hand as he helped me in. Not five seconds later, he was in the car on his side, starting the car.

I sighed, "I'm nervous."

Edward's eyes softened, as did his expression. "Everything will be alright, my only love."

I smiled at the name as my mind quarreled.

Would it?

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that was crazy. Next chapter is only going to get more interesting. Things are winding up, so you better buckle down. It's gonna be an emotional and bumpy ride.<strong>

**I hope your prepared and I would love to hear any theories you may have about what's coming.**

**:D**

**Please review.**

**bexie25**


	16. Problems

**Hello Everyone**

**I'll try to keep this AN as short as I can. I know you're dying to read on but please don't just for the moment.**

**Firstly: Thank you very much! Since the last update we've gone from 185 to 217! Amazing! Oh and just to let you know, some of you are on the right track. :D**

**My golden rule? HEA ALWAYS, NO NEGOTIATION.**

**There's a lemon in here, funnily enough. I know I said I didn't want one in here, but there's looking to be no lemons in the next chapter so this one needed it. It's a sweet one as well… Dirtyward comes later, in a few chapters.**

**Lastly, the reason why this is almost one month – well, one month tomorrow – from the last update is because I got sick a week ago and didn't write for a whole week – until today, in fact. I've worked hard to finish this chapter and the EPOV chapter of Nine Years.**

*****A/N: 21/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The drive to my house was relatively silent. Edward held onto my hand as if it was a vice, and I had to admit that I was feeling that way too. With everything that had occurred today—the frenzied lovemaking and the knowledge that we had acquired, not to mention the pain we had endured—it was kind of scary to be without Edward's cold but comforting touch for even a moment.<p>

It had gotten quite dark, signifying that we had spent a lot of time in Carlisle's office—more so than we thought we had or that we'd planned to.

"Edward, baby?" I asked, looking up at him. The charged energy kicked up a notch when he looked over at me, his eyes black. I gasped almost silently, but Edward closed his eyes only opening them minutes later, to reveal their golden hue.

"Yes, sweet angel?" he asked and I hummed at the name.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, frowning slightly as I looked down at his hand.

Just then, the car stopped and my head snapped up. Here we were, sitting idle in the driveway of Charlie's house. Dad wasn't home yet, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let us go inside and then we shall talk, my love," Edward said and I nodded.

He let go of my hand—making me shudder—but was at my side again before I could do anything else. He took my hand and smiled down at me, love unquestionably shining in his eyes. I undid my seatbelt, getting out and he immediately wrapped his arm around me, closing my door behind me.

He pressed a button on his car keys and the headlights flashed as the car locked. I leaned in to Edward's touch, feeling the serenity that his touch always brought. Edward opened the door, and I smiled to myself, secretly wondering if I should give him a key that he could use from time to time.

"Edward!" I squealed, clinging to him as he knocked my legs from underneath me, catching me up in his arms before I could hit the floor. He chuckled at my exclamation and I scowled playfully, smacking his chest. He frowned and kissed the palm of my hand, turning it over to brush his lips against my knuckles.

He put me down when we were inside so I could listen to the messages on the phone. There was one from Dad, telling me he'd be late and getting home around nine. I checked the clock on the phone and it was just past six-thirty. Edward and I had two and a half hours to ourselves.

Before I could take so much as a step—which would have been difficult anyway, what with Edward's arms wrapped around my waist—I was in Edward's arms again. I smiled and kissed his lips, to which he purred lovingly and I relaxed against his chest.

He walked straight up the stairs, kicking open the door to my bedroom.

"Edward," I said, looking up at him.

He immediately looked down at me. "Yes, darling?"

"Would you like to take a bath with me?" I asked him, blushing, but I didn't look away.

He smiled and wordlessly turned around, carrying me into the bathroom. In a flash, we were in the bathroom and I knew that Edward was desperate for us to be with each other without restrictions quickly. If I was being honest, I'd say I was too.

Edward settled me down on my feet and I sighed at the feeling of his both against mine, the friction created there. Before I could think out of my already clouded haze, his hands were sliding up my body to the top of my shirt. He leaned in and kissed me, turning his head to the side, and I took his lead.

I hummed as our lips touched, the electricity sending pleasurable sparks all through my body, warming it, and Edward purred at the noticeable difference. His hands were busy unbuttoning my blouse. I shivered as his cold, comforting hands touched my bare skin, the temperature causing goose bumps to appear.

"Beautiful," he whispered, almost to himself, as the blouse fell to the ground. He looked up at me through his eyelashes and my breath hitched at the immensity of emotion that his eyes revealed to me. It was just so intimate, as if I were uncovering another layer of my sweet, sweet vampire.

As he caressed my skin, gradually undressing me, my hands did the same. They came up to his shirt, unbuttoning it slowly. When my bra fell to the ground, Edward's hands dashed up to my breasts and I sighed, smiling slightly at the ecstasy of his touch and the electricity. Time seemed to stop as we slowly revealed our bodies to each other.

Edward held me in his arms, shuffling forward, forgetting about the heap of our clothes.

Though I had thought we'd made love enough, I suddenly realized that there was never a time where it was enough. I hoped there never would be a time like that.

I knew I would want him for forever: an eternity. And I smiled, knowing that I would receive that.

I had to.

"Edward," I sighed, laying my head on his shoulder. Using his sturdy arms for leverage, I hoisted myself up, wrapping my legs around his waist in an effort to feel closer to him. I smiled; the feeling of skin against skin was magical, a must. Whenever we touched, I felt myself fall closer and closer to home.

I hummed and Edward purred. I felt his lips against my skin, brushing against my shoulder, his tongue sliding through deftly to flick at it, to taste my skin. It was delightful; I moaned, biting my lip as Edward tilted my head to the side. His lips brushed up against my neck to my jaw, to which he pressed kiss after kiss.

I frowned, impatient, and moved my head to the side and toward him. I smashed my lips to his, raking my teeth down his lip before swiping my tongue against it. Edward moaned, his purring increasing in volume as his pleasure grew more pronounced.

Edward walked forward, holding me, never letting go or releasing my mouth as he walked us to the bath. He sat me down on the ledge, and I closed my eyes as one of his arms released me, the other just tightening its hold to support my weight—even though I was light as a feather to him.

His hand made its way to the knob and he turned on the hot water, letting it heat up for a few moments before it grew hot enough to turn on the cold water. He levelled out the temperature before sliding his hands from the knob and my back, down to my ass. I squealed, licking my dry lips as he picked me up by the very top of my thighs, his fingers caressing and kneading my heated flesh.

I bit my lip, looking into his shining, midnight eyes as he looked into mine. We were both panting, every breath shared as he stepped into the bath. He carefully sat down, his vampiric strength and agility making this action seemingly effortless.

Edward's legs came up, bending at the knees, and I smiled as that made me slide closer to his erection. I sat back on his thighs, my hands in my lap, my feet on either side of his gloriously sexy body.

"Oh, my sweet, sweet Bella," Edward said and I gasped, sniffling as I looked up. He watched me, his voice and face so loving, so emotional that I was lost momentarily. I wasn't sure of anything, in that moment. As the bath filled up, warming him slowly—and myself—he simply _looked_ at me.

His gaze, desire filled and loving—plus so many more things—left me breathless with need for the extraordinary, amazing, selfish, beautiful creature in front of me and I whimpered, shuffling closer to him. My arms wrapped around his neck, and I tasted his breath for a moment before Edward leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine.

It started a frenzy; tongues sucked, teeth clashed together while lips and bodies molded to each other, as if magnetically attracted. Desperate sounds, such as whimpers and moans, groans, growls: they all slipped through our mouths as we desperately made our want for each other known.

"Edward," I sighed as he slid me over his erection. I sat there, with it nestled against my entrance. The feeling of it there, against me, made me restless and I squirmed above him. "Edward, please."

Edward growled at my ministrations, his hands separating; one went up to my breast, the other moved down to my hip and I moaned at the electricity that thrummed between us at every. Single. Touch.

I panted and Edward moaned, licking his lips. I was quite sure he could taste my scent on them, because his eyes darkened even more and his hand left my breast, trailing down my tingling flesh to rest at my hip. He gripped them both, positioned me over him and thrust up as he pulled me down onto him, hard.

I gasped at the feeling of him within me. Unable to take anymore and needing more of his touch, I slammed my lips down on his. He growled at my force as I opened my mouth just as his tongue slipped through his lips.

But he didn't slide his tongue in my mouth. Oh no, he licked my lips—slowly, enticingly—our eyes meeting as he did so.

I shuddered at the look in his eyes: desperate, loving, needing, caring… compassionate.

He was everything… and he was mine. All mine.

For the second time ever, I felt the overwhelming need to bite him, to mark him as _mine_ for all to see.

As he did last time, Edward understood exactly what I was thinking and feeling and he smiled, his love shining out for me. "Yours, darling. Always."

And then, his hands were at my hips and he thrust into me.

A sob ripped from my throat at how soft and caring he was being. Yes, he always was, but this… this was different. He was worshipping me, loving me, caring for me, taking control just as I needed him to.

It made me love him all the more and I sniffled, gasping as he withdrew… then thrust back in again, slowly but forcefully. I closed my eyes, humming contentedly as his tongue lapped at my lips, seeking Edward's lips, in need of a kiss.

"I love you," I moaned, clawing at his back as the thrusts sped up, becoming harder and faster.

"Mine," he growled, thrusting slightly harder, angling his hips so he hit that special place that made my inner walls spasm. I gasped, arching into him and he took the opportunity to suck and nip and lick at the flesh of my chest and breasts. I hummed in ecstasy.

Edward's thrusts steadily grew harder and faster until, finally, he growled my name, arching into me as he roared out, coming in thick streams within me. I followed quickly after him, but not before shouting a loud "mine," not caring who fucking heard it.

Edward lifted me up in his arms, making sure we were still intimately joined. The stress and rainbow of emotions from today had made me tired, and so, I fell asleep in my vampire's arms as he carried me out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.

_oOoOo_

Sometime later, Edward and I were still intimately joined. I was lying to the side of Edward, my leg and arm thrown over him as he stroked my back and arm in long, languid and soft strokes. I hummed in pleasure, looking at him from my spot half on and half off him.

"I love you," I whispered and Edward looked down at me.

The love in his eyes made me almost want to cry again, but I simply swallowed against the lump in my throat and smiled. "I love you too, my precious darling."

I smiled and hummed again, laying my head on his chest. The sound of his rhythmic breathing calmed me as I closed my eyes.

We laid there in contented silence for a few minutes longer before Edward whispered to me, "I am afraid we are going to have to talk now, darling. We need to sort this out, sweetheart. I think it is important that we know what we are going to say to your father… do you not agree?"

I hummed in agreement, but frowned. Edward, seeing this, leaned over to me and kissed my frown, making me laugh and smile. "There we are; there is the smile I so desire to see."

I think I may have swooned at that sentence, or more, its twentieth century cadence. I leaned back against him, my neck craned as I looked at him, and I smiled wider for him to see. His eyes lit up at the sight and I sighed as my love for him grew.

"Is this how it's supposed to happen?" I asked, tracing lines in Edward's arm.

"What, my darling?" he asked, pausing for a moment. "Is what supposed to happen in which way?"

I smiled at the sound of his confusion. Sometimes, although he was a vampire, he could just be so adorable, especially when he was confused. "Our love for each other and… the mating connection… I was just thinking and… am I supposed to fall more and more in love with you every second?"

I looked up at him just in time to see Edward's expression change from one of confusion, to one of the most endearing, outstanding loves I had ever seen. "Yes, my darling, I believe it is; for I am experiencing it each second of every day myself."

I smiled at knowing that.

"My darling," Edward said softly after a few moments' silence.

"Yes?" I whispered, not wanting to break this kind of 'spell' that we were under. It seriously was magical.

"Might I suggest that we get dressed and sit up for the kind of conversation that we now must have," he said, stroking my arm. I sighed, frowning slightly.

"I don't really want to move," I whispered back, looking up at him. "But I suppose we should. After all, we have a lot to sort out and not much time to do it all, right? Dad's gonna be home soon, I guess."

Edward's eyes were just a little sad as I detached myself from him. But, before either of us could feel any pain, his arm had wound itself around my waist and I was sitting up, straddling him as I pulled my shirt back on. I didn't worry about a bra and soon, we were both dressed and sitting down on my made bed, facing each other with our legs crossed.

"You're so good to me," I whispered, looking up at him as he drew patterns on my covered thigh with his fingers. I smiled as our eyes connected and he smiled back; I could hear the contented purr from here and I was endlessly glad that I had given that to him. "I don't know what I did to deserve you… but I'm keeping you for as long as I can."

Edward frowned slightly. "You are talking about forever, my love."

I smiled. "I hope so."

We carried on in this way for a few more minutes before I sighed and clamped my hand over Edward's on my thigh. Edward sighed as well and looked up at me.

"We should probably talk about things now," he said and I nodded vaguely. Before I could even blink, I was sitting on Edward's lap, my arms around his neck, our faces inches away from each other. My legs wound themselves around his waist of their own volition. Because of the speed and the surprise—not to mention how good and pleasurable it felt to be in his arms, our bodies touching everywhere—my heart was thundering, my breath shaking.

"Let's talk then," I whispered against his lips, licking my own as he breathed out, my proximity affecting him just as it was affecting me. I smiled internally.

"Yes," he said, swallowing, "let's." His voice was hoarse, making me shiver in delight and desire. He growled softly, the growl of want morphing into his mating call for me, and I relaxed against him as he hugged me to him, closing my eyes.

"Did you want to speak first, Edward?" I asked him, not moving from my position. "I know there are a lot of things that are worrying you; things that you need to 'get off your chest', so to speak." I moved just my head so that I could look him level in the eyes. "Talk, baby; get it all out." I traced his lips. "You'll feel better when you do."

Edward sighed, smiling slightly as his lips separated. He kissed the tips of my fingers, smiling. "Alright, darling."

And he told me. He told me his concerns and his fears about… well, everything. That if he changed me, I might one day hate him for it. That he wished he could give me everything—including children. He was worried about whether he was worth it or not, or at least, that was what he claimed. But, eventually he admitted that it was actually the things that I had to do to other people in order to stay with him: lying, leaving, pretending to be dead… he hated that his life made us do these things.

Things got a little… well, heated. I was determined to show him and convince him that he was wrong. He was determined to keep the same view. With every line back and forth, we got unconsciously closer, until we were touching.

"I hate that it is essential for you to know how to lie, my darling," he murmured against my cheek and I felt the slight wisp of his eyelashes as they fluttered closed. "I hate that you must lie to your friends, your father… everyone you know and love."

"But lying isn't essential, baby," I said and Edward sat back to look at me, confusion in his eyes. I smiled. "What's essential is to be with you… all the other things that come are just things we need to do in order make that happen."

Edward smiled, but it was sad and I hated that. I cupped his cheek and he leaned into my touch, nuzzling his cheek against my fingers, making me sigh at the bliss. "Hey," I called softly, making his eyes snap back to connect with mine. "I love you, Edward. I need you in my life… I need _us_."

Edward's smile was happier now and he leaned in to press a sweet, soft, loving kiss to each of my cheeks and then to my lips. "I am glad, for I feel the same way, my sweet."

We talked for a little more about things we knew we needed. Right now, in our vulnerable states, it was clear that we needed to be together at all times—something that wasn't feasible unless there was some way I could stay over at the Cullen house.

How we could do that… and get away with it… I had no idea. Dad was a cop; he knew what he was doing and he'd surely be able to tell if something was… not quite right, I suppose.

Eventually we decided that we would bring it up if the opportunity came up.

So now, about an hour later, we're here in the living room. The lights are off and we're huddled on the couch, completely and absolutely wrapped around each other as if our lives depended on it… which it did. We were watching some movie, but the electricity was there, thrumming, so you could guess we weren't _really_paying attention.

We also were trying to refrain from making love… it was getting late and Dad would get here any time soon. Sex would not be a good idea.

We were about fifteen minutes away from the end of the movie when, suddenly, Edward stiffened. His lips paused at my ear and I looked away from the movie, back up to him. Resting my head on his shoulder, I watched his face. "What?"

Edward swallowed and looked down at me. "Your father is coming. He is turning into the street now."

He made to get up, but I clung to him. He stopped and looked back at me, smiling reassuringly. "It is alright, darling. I will be right here."

"No," I whimpered. "You can't stop touching me, Edward. Please… sit back down here."

Edward's eyes softened as he looked into my panicked ones and a beautiful smile graced his lips. He sat back down wordlessly, but held only my hand. Reflexively, I laid my head on his shoulder and he purred at the contact almost silently.

"I know there's something you're not telling me," I whispered, kissing Edward's earlobe. "And it's ok that you won't tell me, because I'm sure it has something to do with my dad." I thought for a moment. "He wants Jacob to come over, doesn't he?" I whispered, looking at him.

Edward looked at me in shock. "How did you know?"

I smiled, the hand that he wasn't holding coming up to rub his bicep. "Our connections are just that good, baby… especially now."

I smiled into his shoulder when he growled. It never ceased to make me smug when he growled at the name 'baby'.

That was when I heard my father's cruiser turn into the drive, his lights blaring even though the blinds were drawn. I sighed as I released his arm, letting it fall into my lap. I didn't move my head from his shoulder, though, and Edward seemed to like that, for he purred and growled my growl.

I calmed, though I'd had no idea that I was uptight in the first place.

Edward tensed slightly when Charlie's car door slammed and that in turn made me tense. Once again, Edward purred and growled my growl and I soon nearly wanted to fall asleep, I was so comfortable and relaxed.

The door opened then and Charlie came in. "Bells?"

"In here, Dad," I called. Part of me was upset that the time I had alone with Edward was over. Then again, I was also glad that Dad was here. I felt the need for one of his rare bear-hugs. They always made me feel so safe…

I was shaken from my thoughts by Dad's happy voice.

"Hey, kids," Charlie said, smiling as he came through.

"Hi, Dad," I said just as Edward said, "Hi, Charlie." I smiled at the sound of Edward's confidence and I was once again glad that Dad accepted Edward so completely. It was so important to all of us: Edward because he didn't want there to be any problems between my father and me, while I wanted it because I wanted Dad to be happy and confident that I would have a good, fulfilled life; but, most of all, it mattered to Dad—though he'd never say so—because he wanted me happy and in love with someone who would be good and provide for me, and his good relationship with Edward meant that he could discover that.

Once again, I was pulled back to reality and I smiled as I took in Dad's happy expression.

Dad smiled at us as if something amused him. "Why aren't the lights on?"

I laughed. "Dad, we're watching a movie! You can't experience a movie as if you were in the cinema with the lights on."

Dad laughed, but then he straightened up. At the same time, Edward tensed again and I looked up at him when I felt him vibrating. I could hear his growl from where I was, sitting right next to him, and it immediately alerted me to the fact that whatever Dad was going to say was what Edward had kept from me before.

I looked over at Dad. "Dad, what's going on?"

He frowned. "What makes you think something is wrong, honey?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Dad, you're a cop. You're also damned perceptive and that's something I got from you." His eyes twinkled with pride and, if I wasn't mistaken, smugness. "You can't hide something and you look really fucking nervous. Now come on, what's going on?"

He swallowed and cleared his throat. Coming forward, he sat down in the singular arm chair and I watched him intently. "Bells, I know that you haven't really seen Jacob for a while. Well, since around the time you and Edward first became an… um, an 'item'," I had to purse my lips to keep from laughing. The word 'item' in that context, coming from my father, was simply hilarious.

But I had to focus on the more serious matters, so I cleared my throat and straightened up. "What about it?" I frowned. It only made sense that Edward had kinda internally freaked. It was Jacob who had tried to steer me away from him in the first place. And it was Jacob who had made me just so fucking confused that day.

I shuddered from the memories and Edward squeezed my hand in support.

But then I looked back at Dad, knowing that this was important. He looked at me for a second, frowning as he took in my actions. "What happened with him?" he asked and my breath hitched slightly.

Edward's growl for me increased in volume and I sagged slightly against him, needing the comfort. The argument that I had with him came back in full force and I knew that if Edward ever found out about what happened, he'd go on a fucking killing spree, heading _straight_for the fucking Blacks.

Because in truth, it wasn't just Jacob that had caused the problems that night; it was also Billy, his father.

"Nothing, Dad," I said and he huffed.

"Bull, Bella," he said and I gasped, looking up at him. "You were a mess when you came home. You wouldn't stay down here long enough for me to figure out if you were ok or not."

Edward tensed and I closed my eyes as tears welled when he turned to look at me, but then my face was in his hands and he leaned in. "Open your eyes, love." I opened them immediately, sniffling as I looked up at him. "Tell me, Bella."

"I can't," I said, trying to look down. "You'll get angry, Edward."

He frowned, confused. "Bella, I could never be angry at you. You know that; it is an impossibility."

I shook my head. "It's not me that you'll be angry at, Edward," I said, looking him dead in the eyes and his frown deepened.

"Bella," Charlie said and I gasped as I looked at him. I had completely forgotten that he was there, and from the looks of things, Charlie had too.

"Dad?" I asked, looking at him.

He nodded, looking between Edward and me. "Bella, I think you need to tell us what happened. I know I want to know, and from the looks of things, it's just as important to Edward." Again, he looked at Edward, and I swear I could see a look of pure happiness and pride on his face.

I let myself smile a small smile at the realization that he really was accepting Edward. Hopefully, he'd always feel that way—especially when Edward and I married.

But then I knew that I had to get on with it and tell them what happened.

I sighed and looked at Edward carefully. "You remember the day that I met with both you and Jacob near the reservation? How at school I was… upset?" Edward frowned and I could feel his chest vibrating as he tried to calm his growl but he nodded. "And I told you that Jacob had… said things?"

I bit my lip nervously as his eyes flashed to my father's, over my head. After some kind of sign from my father, he looked down at me and he nodded. "Yes, I remember. You scared me."

I smiled faintly and sniffled. "Well… he didn't _just_say things."

I didn't speak further, and I waited for Edward to understand what I meant. It didn't take long before he knew exactly what I meant and it probably didn't help that my dad would be remembering _exactly_how I looked when I came home. Edward would see it all and put it all together; he was smart, after all.

"Bella, do you mean to say that Jacob Black physically hurt you?" Edward ground out and my breathing hitched. I looked down and nodded, closing my eyes as my throat closed up, a lump forming as my body shuddered, wracking in sobs.

Edward was silent—as was my father—for a few minutes, but my mate rubbed my back, trying to comfort me.

Finally, Edward spoke.

"Well, you are right about one thing, love," Edward said roughly and my heart clenched. This was it. He was… he was going to leave. "I am not leaving you, Bella. Never think that. No, you are right because I am furious at Jacob Black."

Dad, however, was in full on cop-mode. "Bells, I need you to tell us exactly what happened that night."

I looked up at Edward, and despite the anger there, his eyes were soft with love and support. It made me feel strong, confident, sure of myself, and I nodded, turning in his arms to sit sideways on his lap. I looked at Dad and began.

"I went over there, as I usually did, because Jacob had called me. He'd said that he wanted to talk to me about something—something really, really important. He didn't say what it was," I said before Dad could ask and he smiled. Edward's hand was on my back, still rubbing up and down softly in support.

"So, I went over to his house—after leaving you a note" – Dad nodded at that – "It was dark when I reached his house, but he was waiting outside for me. His smile was the so fucking huge when he saw me and he hugged me so tight that I nearly couldn't breathe." Edward growled quietly, his hand pausing on my back. He took a deep, shuddering breath before he resumed his comforting actions. I smiled up at him and he smiled back, but there was anger and sadness there.

"Anyway, uh… Billy came out then, and he said 'hi' before he looked at Jake for a moment. There was something weird in the look, especially when Jacob huffed back at him. Billy shook his head before he smiled up at me and told us to come inside because it was 'chilly'."

I took a deep breath, something that both Edward and Dad noticed.

"Honey, I know it's hard," Dad said softly, "but I need to know this, ok?"

I nodded, and settled back into Edward, needing support. Edward's arm wrapped around me and I breathed in again before proceeding. "Everything was fine, for a while. We talked, drank soda, everything was… fuck, just _normal,_you know? And then-"

I broke off, frowning as I looked down at my hands.

"You can do it, darling," Edward said and I looked up at him.

"I need you to remember something, Edward," I said and he nodded, frowning. "I need you to remember that I love you and only you and what Jacob said isn't true."

Again, he frowned but nodded, looking into my eyes as if he could see right in to my soul. And I didn't doubt that he could.

"And then?" Dad's voice asked softly, quietly, for which I was grateful.

"And then he started saying stuff," I said slowly, frowning. "It was as if some fucking switch blinked on in his head and he started getting… angry. He started saying shit about the Cullens… about Edward and how I was stupid to think that Edward was better for me than he was."

I smiled a little. "You know me, Dad. I won't take anyone's shit. So I told him 'well, at least Edward was sweet, a gentleman… not rough and boisterous like he was'. He didn't take that well. Soon enough we were shouting at each other, using anything we could—any stupid fucking memory at all—to hurt each other the most."

I shuddered, bile rising in my throat as I remembered what happened next. "And then I said something stupid."

"What, Bells?" Dad said, and his voice was angry but quiet. He, along with Edward, was trying to control himself.

"I said that I'd rather die than be with a shitty hot-headed asshole like him," I cried, my shoulders shaking with the force of my tears.

"What did he say?" Dad asked softly, encouraging me to speak up.

"He didn't say anything. He just stopped, looked at me and then…" I whispered, closing my eyes. "And then he got really, _really_angry. There was just this look of fire in his eyes and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground and my cheek felt like it was on fire."

"What happened next?" Edward asked and I looked up at him. I was happy to see that he wasn't angry at me—something I knew because while anger was definitely there, love and support was first and foremost paramount on his face, in his eyes and the way he held me. I felt… incredibly safe, and if I hadn't needed the proof that Edward was the right one for me—even after that night—I would have figured it out in this very moment.

I cupped his cheeks and leaned my forehead against his. Closing my eyes, I continued with the last part of what had happened. "I lifted my hand to my cheek and I could already feel it swelling. It hurt to even touch but I couldn't… I couldn't do anything. I just looked at him and waited for him to feel remorse. When he didn't, I got up and walked out. Billy called after me and I stopped, hoping he'd say something. He did… but all he said was that Jake was right and that while he shouldn't have hurt me, he was in his own right to say what he felt."

The next thing I knew, there was a sharp slam and I jumped, my head whipping around to look at my father. I could understand his pain. His best friend's son had done the inexcusable and his life-long friend had done nothing to help his daughter—the girl he'd claimed was like his own daughter.

"That rat bastard," Dad cussed and I gasped, tears springing to my eyes. Dad's fist once again connected with the coffee table and I whimpered at the sound it made, huddling into Edward as I watched my father take out all his anger on the piece of furniture that he loved.

"Daddy?" I asked, tears surely able to be fucking heard through the husky tone of my voice. Dad paused then, freezing before he looked at me. The sadness there nearly killed.

"Bells," Dad wheezed and I nodded. "I'm sorry… I never thought that son of a bitch would…"

He couldn't finish his sentence and I didn't want him to.

"Daddy, it's not your fault," I whispered, wiping the tears from my face. "It's theirs. You couldn't have done anything… I wouldn't have let you even if you tried. Please… please know that."

He nodded and took a few minutes to calm himself before he gruffly said, "Keep going."

I looked at him for a moment but then nodded. "Ok… well, um, I didn't say anything. I was too hurt to speak so I just got in my car and came home."

I thought I was finished but Dad shook his head. "You were in that car for half an hour, Bells. Don't think I didn't hear it then watch when you didn't come inside."

He smiled wryly and I blushed under his hard-ish, fatherly gaze. It wasn't exactly something I expected from him.

"Fine," I huffed and he chuckled lowly. I glared at him playfully and he held up his hands in surrender. Sighing, I continued with the last bit of my 'story'. "I looked in the mirror and there was a bruise on my cheek" – Edward's chest started vibrating again, so much that it seemed to be a miracle that Dad couldn't hear it. His arms tightened around me only slightly and I welcomed the feeling – "so I looked for some makeup in my car and put it on. I worked on it and worked on it, paranoid that you might see it. That was why it took so long for me to come inside and why when I did, I was only downstairs for a few minutes at the most."

When I was finished, I collapsed into tears, unable to help myself. Maybe it was because of the emotions I'd been feeling today or maybe it was because I was finally getting rid of the burden of being the only one to know this. Whatever it was, I didn't care because, suddenly, I was fucking wasted. I sagged against Edward, weak with relief when, a moment later, he didn't push me away.

I cried and cried and cried, so overwhelmed by whatever I was feeling to really be able to do anything but… well, cry. I clung to Edward with everything I had and, in turn, he rubbed my back, rocking me back and forth as he cradled me softly in his arms, as if I was a piece of the finest china. To him, I was worth that and more and I took comfort in that knowledge.

Edward whispered soft words of love and comfort, trying to calm me down. I knew that he was getting panicked when none of the normal 'human' comforting exercises worked, but he never really showed it. Instead, as quietly as he could, but still loud enough for me to hear, he used his supernatural abilities instead.

My growl broke from between his lips in a steady, calming rhythm. It calmed my body and tears and I simply let myself fall asleep in his arms—again—as he rocked me.

And when I do fall asleep, I know that everything will be ok. Edward would protect me.

~O~

I woke up to the sound of voices, one being my father's and the other my vampire mate, my Edward. I didn't open my eyes just yet, instead waiting to hear what they were talking about.

I smiled softly when I heard what Dad was saying to Edward. It wasn't big enough to alert my father that I was awake—Edward already knew, of course, but he also didn't show it.

"Thanks, son," Charlie said to Edward quietly. "For calming her down, you know? I don't know how you did it, but… well… thanks." I could tell that it was hard for Charlie to say, and that made me all the happier. I smiled, though no one could see it—except I knew that Edward could feel it—because my head was still buried into Edward's shoulder. The tears had dried now, for which I was grateful.

Edward smiled. "It is quite alright, Charlie. Bella and I have always been able to calm each other down from anything, no matter how bad. And besides, I love your daughter and I will always look after her to the best of my ability."

"I know you will, son," Charlie said, patting Edward on the back. "I know you will." He turned to me then, an eyebrow raised. "Are you sure you're ok with Jacob coming over?"

I nodded, smiling through my tears. "Yeah, Dad; as long as I have you here, and Edward's with me at all times, I'll be fine."

Well, I hoped so, at least.

* * *

><p><strong>Yep. So, none of you were expecting that, were you? Jacob and Billy are up next with a confrontation – Charlie involved. And of course, there WILL be an outtake on Edward's reaction but it will be a short one summarizing his feelings after the fact. It'll kind of be an 'in betweener' chapter. :D<strong>

**Speaking of, I uploaded an outtake about 6 days ago. Take a look, it's a sweet one called "The Mike Problem" part 1, of course.**

**Please review and I'll update soon,**

**Thanks**

**bexie25**


	17. Stretched to the Limit

**Hello Everybody!**

**I changed the summary last night, take a look before proceeding please.**

**Just thought I'd tell you all that a while ago, I was looking up my penname – just to get onto my page, as you do – and a few links under it hand a link to a PDF of this story. I can't access that PDF anymore, so I don't know if it's still up there… but the point is that at one time, it was.**

**You'd think I'd be angry… but I'm actually flattered and I thought I'd tell you that every chapter I right is collaborated into a big word doc as a story – same goes for all my stories that aren't drabbles – and that afterwards, I intend on editing the story (maybe fleshing out the first couple of chapters, the first in particular to explain backstory, etc.) and then making it a PDF that you all can have.**

**At this stage, there may not be a sequel. But, I'm always open to ideas and I love this couple as well… so it's ok, because I'll probably come up with a plot for one – just talking about it has my mind coming up with ideas so I'll let you know. ;)**

**The one thing I must say is that sometimes stories take the whole 'Charlie's team Jacob' thing way too far, so I'm pulling this story into the completely different direction. None of my stories are all that Jacob-friendly, except for the fact that a lot only mention him – if that – but this one is the classic Jacob-hating story… except, Charlie's in on it too. :D**

**There's an AN down the bottom and just a warning – CLIFFY AHEAD!**

*****A/N: 21/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**Read, Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"So… Dad?" I said, resting back into Edward's arms. Edward was holding me, my back to his chest. I could feel it as he purred—something he did to calm me down.<p>

"Yeah, Bells?" Dad said, coming back out from the kitchen. He'd gotten some chips and beer ready and I appreciated the gesture—normally, he'd ask me to get them for him and Billy as they went, but seeing as I didn't want to be anywhere _near_the Blacks, he'd prepared them for the night.

All I had to do was stay away from downstairs. Dad had already told me that Edward was welcome to stay for the night under the circumstances—which honestly surprised me, but there was nothing beating Edward's surprised, pleased face—and that if I wanted something from down here, I was to get Edward to do it.

Edward had jumped at the chance to help me and cause me the least amount of stress he could, so he answered before I could say anything.

Safe to say, when Edward heard them coming, we'd make some excuse and then we wouldn't be down for the rest of the night. It was also an advantage that—because it was so late—they wouldn't be eating dinner, so I didn't have to do any cooking.

"Um… why are they coming over here so late?" I asked. It had been something I was meaning to ask. It was a Friday night and usually that meant that there was football on, but that had finished before Dad had even come home—or so I thought, anyway. Not that I was interested in watching it.

"Oh, um," he said, nodding to himself as he sat down in the armchair. With Edward and I lying down—at both Edward's and Charlie's insistence—he was left alone in the chair, but he didn't appear to mind. Apparently, he'd sat in that chair with me when I was a baby and it was nice to do it again. After we'd left, he never had because of painful memories.

Dad was silent for a few moments, thinking about something before he jolted—as if remembering something—and answered, "Late night football is on." He said this hesitantly and I knew that there was something he was hiding.

I frowned. "And?" I asked softly, not wanting him to get cagey or think I'm angry or something. That never worked for Dad—he never liked conflict, especially because of the fight that made him lose Mom and me.

Apparently, Mom was nice back then. She wasn't… the narcissistic bitch she is today. I always wondered if perhaps losing her true love—my dad—because of their clashing, stubborn personalities was her downfall. I'd always wondered if that had been part of what made her the abusive, hard-nosed woman she was today.

Dad sighed, giving up on hiding it. "He said something about Jake missing you and wanting to see you. I know that you're with Edward and I must say that I am really happy about that… but I thought it might be a good idea to see Jacob. The way Billy was going on about it, you'd think Jacob had gone postal or something."

I swallowed, and breathed out in a rush. Edward was no better in response, and I knew that as soon as we were alone, we'd have to talk about this. There was more to it than what Dad was telling me, I was sure, and from the looks of it, Edward had picked it up from Dad's thoughts.

Something came to mind then, and I decided to let Dad and Edward in on it. "Um… if I were to suggest something, would you promise to hear me out and not bite my head off?"

I looked at the two of them, watching as first confusion and then a sort of apprehensive understanding dawned on their features. It was amusing to watch them go through the same emotions for perhaps completely different reasons, but I was so nervous—about the Black's impending arrival, about their response to my suggestion—that I couldn't laugh.

They swallowed, nodding, but not saying anything and I could tell that, right now, they were probably close to taping their lips together to keep from speaking.

I smiled. "Thanks. Basically, my idea is that Edward and I are down here when the Blacks first arrive."

They were about to start speaking, but I put my hand up, smiling innocently as I shook my head. "Nah-uh, you promised." They frowned, but settled back as much as they could bear to into their seat and kept their mouths shut, expecting me to continue. I smiled, happy that they'd listened to me… though I knew they were doing so because they were trying to accommodate me or something.

"Ok, well, my reasoning is that, not only will they see that you, Dad, are completely satisfied and happy with Edward being my boyfriend—which I'm sure is something they need to see firsthand—but they'll also see that Edward is part of this family. Then, when Edward and I excuse ourselves and go upstairs to my room… we'll slam the door."

I smirked, looking over at Edward for a moment; his eyes were a glistening, sexy black and I had to refrain from licking my lips. To further stop myself from reacting visibly in front of my father, I looked to Dad, speaking solely to him as I continued. "Most fathers want the door open so they can make sure no 'funny business' goes on. But, you'll let us close it—quite obviously—and when they ask (as I'm sure they will) you'll tell them that you trust us."

They were both either speechless or working through the idea for the next few minutes after I'd finished speaking. Either way, they didn't speak until, finally, Dad said something.

"I think it's a good idea, Bells," he said and I got up, just about to tackle him with squeals and thank you's, but he put up a hand much like I had before, and I stopped. "_But_, I only want you doing that if Edward agrees and if you're comfortable with doing so."

I looked up at Edward, biting the inside of my mouth as I looked at him, eyes wide and pleading. My brow creased and, just like that, he sighed, muttering to himself with a small growl. He looked at me, frowning slightly but not speaking, as if trying to figure out if this was something I wanted. I smiled softly at him and he sighed again, his face in his hands suddenly, but there was a small smile on his beautiful lips.

I squealed, already knowing that he was giving in. I was going to tackle Dad, but once again remembered that not touching Edward was a bad, painful thing at the moment. I settled for a smile and a verbal 'thanks' before I stood up.

"I'm gonna take a shower," I murmured, passing Dad, not caring if he wanted to say something.

Suddenly, I couldn't take it any longer. Suddenly, I just wanted to be alone with Edward, to get to grips with what was coming, what we'd be facing. This wasn't going to be pretty or easy, and I knew that Edward was going to be trying his hardest not to do something to the Blacks for threatening and hurting his mate as they both had done. He'd be fighting with his instincts—both of keeping me safe, and of his baser instincts against the werewolf and human—so I wanted us as calm as possible before letting us face that kind of turmoil.

Right now, I just needed to be with Edward, distracting myself… and him.

I groaned at the pain that shot through my body when I reached the top of the stairs. In my effort to get away from their hysteria, I had forgotten the problems that Edward and I were experiencing at the moment… which was funny, as I'd just reflected on it beforehand when wanting to thank Dad.

Obviously, this whole thing was stressful enough to make me act irrationally and forget things I needed to remember.

"Edward," I ground out, gritting my teeth to stop a whimper from leaving me. I closed my eyes, trying to breathe through the pain.

And then, a second later, it was gone and Edward's cold arms wrapped around my waist.

"It is alright, darling," Edward said in my ear softly. "Let us go into the bathroom, ok?"

I looked up at him. "Dad will never allow us to be in there together. You know that."

He smirked, having already thought of that. "Your father is too wound up to notice… and if he did notice, I will definitely hear, sweet angel." He smirked proudly, pointing to himself with the hand that wasn't touching me. "I have, indeed, my special one, a built in radar device, complete with exceptionally fast reflexes and supernatural strengths. I would have us both dry and dressed by the time your father made it to the stairs—he would never know a thing, my dear."

I sighed, biting my lip. Finally, I shook my head. "Edward, we've already had a bath—it's not like we need a shower. I was just saying that to get out of there." I smiled, taking his hand. "Besides, I want to cuddle with my boyfriend on my bed, in his arms. That should calm us both down—something you know we need with what's going to happen tonight." I breathed in and out deeply, frowning and worrying my lip with my teeth.

Edward smiled at me, tucking his finger under my chin, making me look at him. "Calm, my love; you need not worry about what is coming—I will be right there with you. I swear it," he said passionately and I closed my eyes, my breath shaky with emotion.

Of course I believed him; of course I knew he'd be there with me. I was his mate, how could he not?

"I know that, baby," I said, ignoring Edward's growl the best I could. "I have you here with me… you'll protect me if I need protecting and support me if I need supporting. I'm just worried about your reaction to their thoughts and getting you to keep your cool, I guess. The last thing I want is to be the reason for your exposure."

"Nonsense," Edward whispered tenderly against my lips and I looked up at him. There was a beautiful, proud love in his eyes, so tender that it played havoc with me.

Suddenly, my breathing hitched, my throat forming a lump in it, and my eyes welled with tears. I sniffled as some fell, muttering as I huddled into my mate's form. "I'm sorry."

Edward's arms wrapped around my waist at first, and he rubbed my back. He kissed my hair and forehead a few times but, when my tears didn't really cease, he let out a mournful, strangled cry and lifted me into his arms. He wrapped my legs around his waist and then we were moving. I didn't care where, too emotional to worry about something like that. All that mattered was that I was in his arms and he was comforting and focusing on me, helping and supporting and _loving me_.

Just as he would… forever.

For the next… possibly, half an hour, Edward and I stayed in my room. I was straddling him, and he was on his back on my bed. My head was resting on his chest, the sound of his rhythmic breathing calming me as I sighed, my eyes closed; there was a smile on my face.

We were trying to keep as calm as possible before the Blacks arrived, and really, it was starting to make me tired. All this stress and information had been crazy, maddening, and I just wanted to curl up into Edward's arms—as if I wasn't already—and fall asleep, knowing that whatever's going to happen in the future, I was safe at the moment.

Edward tensed a few minutes later and I knew that the Blacks were within hearing range. I sat up wordlessly, still straddling him, but looking into Edward's eyes. "Edward, we need to get ready… _I_need to get ready."

Edward looked at me and nodded silently, lifting me off him but not releasing me. I smiled at him and dragged him by the hand toward my small wardrobe. I opened it and looked around for something to wear. Edward was silent until he suddenly picked up something and held it out. I looked at it, biting my lip before looking up at him.

I smiled and nodded, to which Edward smiled and he put it down. With one hand—so the other could remain touching me—he removed it from the coat hanger, handing it to me. I took it, turning in his arms as he slithered his hands up to help me get the top on. It was long-sleeved, cotton and blue—Edward's favorite color on me. When that was on, Edward kissed the arch of my neck, just where it connected with my shoulder, and I smiled, leaning my head to the side.

He brushed my hair back and kissed up my neck and I closed my eyes, leaning back into him. Swallowing, I regained my senses and looked around for my jeans so I could change into them from the comfier clothes Edward had dressed me in after the bath. They were more appropriate than what I was wearing now, especially if Jacob was going to be in the room. When I couldn't find them, I remembered that the last time I'd seen them was when Edward had taken them off me in the bathroom.

"Shit," I whispered and Edward growled softly.

"What, darling?" he asked and I frowned, spinning around in his protecting and strong arms.

"My jeans," I whispered back at him, biting my lip. He smiled at me, took my hand and led me around to the other side of the bed. There, I saw a pile of clothes—all mine—and amongst them were my jeans. I sighed and picked them up, turning around to kiss Edward's cheek. "Thanks, love."

"I knew you would be embarrassed if I left them there for your father to find them, but you fell asleep against my chest in the bath. You were so very tired, my darling," he said, shrugging and I blushed, shaking my head. With Edward's hands on my shoulders, helping to keep me steady at the same time that he kept the pain from reappearing, I balanced on one foot and then the other as I put on the jeans.

I walked around the room—Edward's hand in mine, but he moved along with me easily, letting me lead—and found my blue sneakers. After putting them on, I started off to go downstairs with Edward's hand in mine, but he stopped me.

I looked back at him, my brow crinkling as I smiled. "What?"

He smiled down at me, swallowing as he pulled me back toward him. "I have something for you."

I gasped, biting my lip. "Edward, I-"

"No," he hushed me, a finger to my lips. He looked down for a minute, then looked back at me. "It was my mother's. My father gave it to her for their anniversary: the last before he died. She left it to me after her death and Carlisle gave it to me. I've given many pieces of the jewelry that my mother left for me to the women in our family, but I kept a few things for… well, for my mate," he stammered at the end, looking a little embarrassed. I knew that if he could, he would be blushing.

My gaze softened and my breath was shaky as a lump formed in my throat. "Edward," I croaked, sniffling as he led me back over to the bed. He sat me down, holding my hand as he opened the drawer on the bedside table.

He smiled, abashed, as he brought out a large-ish, square box and I breathed in as he settled it in my lap. "I asked Alice to bring it over when you were sleeping," he whispered, looking down. "Open it, my love."

I looked up at him for a moment before hesitantly reaching out. Lifting the box in my hand, I quickly took my other hand away from his hold and opened the box.

My hand flew to my mouth. "Oh, Edward, it's beautiful!"

Nestled safely and carefully in the material box was a beautiful necklace. It had a leafy kind of look to it, with short bits of the silver coming out like leaves and branches from a tree. They grew slowly larger until you reached the middle of the necklace, but within the strands of silver metal were diamonds and, more noticeably, sapphires.

"I am glad you like it," Edward murmured, taking it carefully from its place in the material box. He lifted it up and was about to put it on me when I stopped him.

"Edward, baby, are you sure you want me to wear this tonight?" I asked, fretting. "I mean… I could break it or something and I wouldn't want to do that. Are you sure?"

He smiled. "My love, I would quite like it if you would wear it tonight. You do not have to, however-"

I put a finger to his lips and smiled. Turning around, I lifted my hair, placing it to one side, and I shivered when I felt Edward's lips against the skin of the back of my neck. I swallowed as the cold metal touched my skin and then Edward fastened it by the clip and let it go. I turned around, and when he saw it on me, he smiled, swallowing back emotion.

"Beautiful," he whispered, his voice husky with emotion. He swallowed, his finger tracing the diamonds, and I smiled as I looked down.

We sat there on the bed for a while, preparing ourselves for what was to come. The plan was that we'd go down there when Edward first started hearing their minds.

When he could first hear the traces of their minds, we sighed, tensing automatically at the unwelcome visitors' presence. In silence, we got up and went downstairs, hand in hand.

We were just at the top of the stairs when it happened.

Out of the blue, Edward growled and I turned to look at him. "What?" I asked, taking his face in my hands as I straddled him. His eyes were black with fury, murderous, his hands gripping my hips. "_What_, Edward?"

He looked into my eyes, his chest vibrating with the growl he was letting lose. "Jacob thinks he's imprinted on you: he thinks you're his and it's worse than before."

I frowned, my forehead crinkling. "But…" my eyes fluttered closed as I tried to say what I was thinking, "But, what makes him think that?"

Edward's eyes glinted with something fierce, ferocious. "Billy. He's convinced him of it. When Jacob came back that day without you, Billy flipped. He was so angry that his _plan_" —Edward spat the word—"to have his son with his best friend's daughter had fallen through. He did not blame Jacob though… no, he blamed _us_—you and me: you for your 'stupidity' and me for 'bewitching' you." Again, he spat out the words, both of us taking offense from them.

I was furious. I frowned, my breathing becoming harsh as I felt myself tense. With all that we were going through, I didn't understand how we could handle this. Here we were, irrationally possessive and needing of each other, and a stupid fucking teenager and his father were trying to play with us to get what they wanted.

I'd had enough.

I was about to act on my anger when, suddenly, Edward's fucking phone started ringing. I willed myself to calm down as Edward sighed and reached for his phone, still rigid with anger. He answered it, snapping, "_What_, Alice?"

I could hear from here that it was in fact Alice, so I relaxed into Edward's arms. If it was important—and even if it wasn't—Edward would tell me what she'd said. There was no reason for me to try to listen. While they talked quickly on the phone, I blocked it out from my senses and played with the buttons on Edward's shirt, smiling to myself when Edward's breathing picked up.

After a few more seconds—the whole conversation had only taken half a minute—Edward snapped the phone shut and wordlessly took my hand, holding it still against his chest. I looked up at him after a moment of hesitation, swallowing.

"Stay with me, darling," he said almost inaudibly. He was glaring downstairs, toward the door. "Stay with me; do not, even for a second, play it by chance. I will not let you go, because we do not want the pain, but I need you to _stay with me_."

"Ok," I whispered, lifting a hand to Edward's face. As I stroked it, trying to get him to calm, I repeated the word more forcefully. "Ok, Edward, I promise. But can I ask why?"

Edward's eyes flashed, and within the look was anger, unprecedented and nearly foreign from my mate's face. "Alice foresees that there may be trouble if you are alone with _him_."

I frowned. "But I thought she couldn't see werewolves."

His answering smile was tight, forced. "She cannot… but she sees you in a hospital bed."

I inhaled, nodding, and after a few tense moments we decided to go downstairs. The Blacks weren't far from here now.

Leading us, Edward took me down the stairs and we quickly settled onto the couch. Sitting side by side, but with a rug of some sort wrapped around us—Edward's insistent, stubborn nature was ever present—we appeared to be focused on the T.V., but didn't really watch it.

"They're turning the corner into this street now, my darling," Edward whispered in my ear and I froze, tensing up more than I had before—as if I wasn't tense enough at this point. Feeling this, Edward both tensed and tried to calm me, but I couldn't do it. I was too highly strung; my stress had been stretched to the limit at this point.

Soon, headlights bounced off the glass windows and Dad came from out of the kitchen, a beer in hand. He looked at the both of us, smiling nervously and I tried to smile back at his effort, but it must have come out as a grimace, because he frowned.

"I'm sorry, Bells," he whispered just as the sound of doors slamming rang. I flinched at the sound, making both Edward and my father sigh uneasily and I nearly apologized but I heard Edward growl softly in my ear, the growl being his mating call for me, and I relaxed against him.

I closed my eyes as the crunching of gravel rang through from outside to where we were, breathing in and out deeply, needing to calm myself down. Noticing this, Edward started purring as he growled and I whimpered softly as it helped.

"Thank you," I whispered, leaning against him.

"My pleasure, sweet angel," he whispered and I swear I heard an angry, guttural growl from outside. I swallowed again as Edward growled lowly back, yet still loud enough for the mutt outside to hear.

I froze at that. I'd just thought of my once-friend as a mutt, just as the Cullens did. And what was more was the fact that I didn't feel sorry or remorse for doing so: it was… natural.

"Darling, please… calm," Edward whispered to me. The steps ceased and the doorbell rang, making me huddle back into Edward. Our plan from the beginning had been to ignore them, to not even look their way. So, right on schedule as Charlie got up from his chair to answer the door, we turned up the volume of the T.V., settling back into pretending to watch it. As we did this, I made sure the necklace was visible, smiling at how this was, in a way, just another way that Edward was marking me.

"I love you," I whispered softly to Edward just as Charlie opened the door.

Edward whispered the words back to me before we settled back and looked at the T.V. We may have been looking, but our attention was on the door and the people standing on the other side of it.

The conversation was boisterous enough that we could hear it from where we were, and so we listened to it.

"Hey, Billy," Charlie said, feigning happiness to see them. Edward whispered quickly that this was not picked up by either of the Black's. "Jacob… come in." I heard it as Dad moved to the side, speaking all the while, "I hope you don't mind, but Edward's here."

Billy spoke then, his tenor, once-soothing voice gruff and cold, sending chills to my skin. "Edward Cullen?" His voice was flat but there was underlying anger there, too.

"Yes," Charlie said and I smiled at the sound of it; it was defensive in a way. "He stays back a lot of the time, actually. He's a good boy, kind to Bella, just right for her."

I smirked, thinking that he was laying it on thick, but loving how straight-to-the-point it was at the same time. "I think Dad has a man crush on you, baby," I whispered to Edward and he chuckled, kissing my neck as close to the pulse point as possible. I leaned back against his shoulder, looking up at him as we listened to Jacob's retort.

"Yeah, sure, sure," he said disbelievingly, but there was defensiveness and anger in his voice—enough to make me want to punch him right where it hurts little boys like him most.

Edward chuckled in my ear and I looked up at him, wondering what could possibly be so funny about this. He noticed and stopped chuckling—though his lips were twitching—and he leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Jacob was given a look by your father and Billy kicked him with the wheelchair."

I giggled, snorting as I leaned in to burrow my face into his neck.

Minutes later, we heard them come through and I turned my head toward the T.V. but didn't move from where I was at all. I was staying put and I didn't care what Billy and Jacob thought.

Jacob came through, terse as he noticed our position, but after shaking his head—I was picking all of this up from the corner of my eye—he said, "Hey, Bells."

I didn't respond, only huddling into Edward's chest, still looking at the T.V. If Jacob though I was going to play along and be happy to see him, he'd have another fucking thing coming.

There was a bit of silence from everyone as we continued to look at the T.V. Jacob moved forward and I shrank back into Edward, looking down—anywhere but at him—as he stepped in front of the television, trying to get my attention.

"Bells?" Jacob asked and I frowned, tensing. "It's, uh… it's been a while, right?"

Edward's fingers massaged the skin of my hip and I took his hand, getting up off the couch. "Dad, Edward and I are going up to my room."

He smiled and nodded as we quickly—silently—left the room. A huge gush of air left me when we were in my room, the tension leaving my body. From here I could hear Billy questioning Charlie's authority because I was up here alone with my boyfriend. Jacob didn't seem to be that much better, either.

I sighed, leaning back into Edward. I hated all of this drama—as if Edward and I didn't have enough to think about at the moment. I just wanted to be anywhere but here at the moment, but that didn't seem to be a possibility.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered to Edward, looking up at him. The stress of this day—everything that had happened during the course of the day—was starting to really get to me and my emotions were completely out of control. I sniffled, wiping my nose with the back of my hand before my shoulders started to shake and I sobbed, hard, in Edward's arms.

He tried to comfort me the best he could, and I had to admit that the growl and purr worked quite well, but I was so emotional and stressed that even that didn't do enough.

The first hour was completely fine, uneventful. Edward and I talked and distracted ourselves the best we could, but even then it felt like the world was caving in on us.

After a while, though… things seemed to get heated downstairs and, suddenly, we could hear shouting.

"That's ridiculous, Billy!" Charlie shouted angrily and I heard something slam against something, and glass shattering. "Don't be telling me those stupid tribal stories of yours!"

Edward and I froze, tensing. This couldn't be happening, I thought. I huddled into Edward, my nails digging into his shoulders—well, as much as they could. We were completely silent and immobile as we listened to the commotion downstairs.

Billy must have replied, but only softly—or rather, more so than Dad's outburst—because then Dad yelled, "Well, he did more for her than your boy ever did!" Dad sounded so angry and I knew that something would happen if we didn't intervene.

"Edward," I whispered urgently. Edward's eyes flashed to my face, meeting my eyes, and I swallowed. "We have to go down there!" He frowned, and after a moment, shook his head.

I looked up at him and frowned, my eyes narrowing. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, I swear to _God_ that if you don't get me down there to stop my father from doing something really fucking stupid, I'll do something stupid."

He appeared to look at me as if trying to ascertain whether I was just being stupid. When he realized that I was dead-on fucking serious, his eyes widened for a moment before he sighed, his shoulders sagging as he nodded, finally relenting.

I smiled up at him softly, letting all my love for him—every ounce—appear in my eyes so he could see it. He swallowed upon seeing it, smiling down at me and I leaned up, smashing my lips to his. After the kiss of a lifetime—passionate, loving and yet so careful at the same time—we released each other and I took his hand, dragging him with me.

We walked down the stairs, appearing at the foot of the stairs before everyone. They didn't stop fighting though, and to my surprise, things were starting to get violent.

I sighed and shook my head, bringing two fingers from each hand up to my mouth. Whistling to get their attention, I glared at all three of them when they stopped and looked at me, growing still.

I huffed and smirked sardonically. "Great. So, now that I have your attention." I said the words bitingly, sarcastic, and they all flinched at the tone of my voice. They could tell that I was angry and stressed to the max, and I was glad that at least on _Dad's_face there was some remorse.

On either of the Blacks, however, there was none.

"I want to talk to you," I said, looking at all of them. Edward's arms wrapped themselves around me and I settled back into him, looking Jacob dead in the eyes so he could see what I was feeling—hopefully comprehending what I was trying to convey—as I did so.

"Bells-" Jacob said, but my glare silenced him.

"Don't you fucking dare, Black," I practically growled and he gasped, his eyes widening with surprise. I smirked; did he seriously think that I wasn't going to be angry and hostile with what he did to me? I could feel Edward smiling, his face buried against my hair, his arms clenching around me, trying to calm himself and me. "What, are you surprised that I'm angry?" I raised an eyebrow at him, hearing Edward growl in my ear. "Did you think that I'd just forget that you slapped me and knocked me to ground?"

He swallowed and looked down, the look that used to make me cave coming onto his face. It used to make me cave… but not anymore. I glared at his form before slowly turning my head to his father. Tears welled in my eyes, both because of how soiled my thoughts and views of him are now compared to before and from anger at his actions.

It was horrifying, this situation. As a child, I'd looked up to Billy. He was a second father to me, one that I saw less regularly and loved nearly as much as my own father. So now, to see him, glaring at the man I love, at my mate, simply because of _what_he is, and not who he is as a person… yeah, it hurt. It hurt like a bitch.

"And _you_," I whimpered out, sniffling as I glared at him. I pointed at him with an angry finger, not backing down. "How. _Dare_. You. My life and my _choices_ in life are none of your business, either of yours. You don't have a say in what I think, do, say. You and your son have hurt me more than you can fucking believe: more than Edward ever has and ever will."

I glared at the both of them, but I paid attention especially to Jacob, who I could see was shaking from the proximity to my Edward. Likewise, my mate was drawing me closer and closer to him, needing reassurance and closeness to keep himself calm. I knew that he didn't want to cause me pain or worry, so he was trying to keep himself composed—at least in my father's presence. If it had just been the Blacks, Edward, and me, it would have been a different story.

And that made me smile. Knowing that Edward was taking into account for my father just proved how truly good he was.

There was silence in the room as I watched both of the Blacks. I'd always felt that they were similar and yet I'd never been able to see how. But now, I could see it. It was plain and simple. They were both stubborn, defensive people; in fact, their personalities were identical to one another.

Jacob was shaking, glaring just over my head at Edward, who, thankfully, wasn't paying attention. I felt the need to glare at him and I did so, but I knew that he didn't see it. His father was watching him, looking out for him carefully, ready to do something in case he lost control.

My father—the sweet, kind man that he was—was watching both of them, and like so many other times with Carlisle and Edward, I could see his—intelligent-for-a-human and damned perceptive—mind working as he watched the odd father and son.

And, finally, my Edward was focusing all of his attention on me. He was obviously keeping himself calm the only way he could—by focusing on me, holding me, touching me, loving me. I knew from the tightening hold that he had on me that he was reading the minds of the two humans and one werewolf in the room—the people he _could_ read.

The tension was palpable. Jacob's shaking and glares, and Billy's and Charlie's watchful gazes, didn't lessen and I knew that I had to do something.

"Jacob, Billy," I called, looking at each of them. They flinched, Jacob shaking harder, his cold glare solidifying even more as he turned his attention away from Edward and onto me. Edward, not having looked up or moved, growled slightly and pulled me tighter to him and I let him, smiling softly as I looked down. "I think you both should go."

"Bella-"

"No," I said sharply, my head snapping up, my eyes connecting with Jacob's. "Don't do this, Jacob. I am not an object—you can't fucking _fight_ over me! This isn't some pissing contest and, quite frankly, I don't want you anywhere _near_ me! You are nothing to me and I'm nothing to you. Whatever your father said about us being together is wrong and inexcusable! It's not the truth; it could never be the truth! Edward is my soul mate, he's the only one for me… so _please_, for fuck's sake—just _fucking go_!"

I was shouting and crying at this point, but I couldn't help it. The crazed, accusatory, angry fire in Jacob's eyes was pissing me off and I just wanted him to stop this.

If I had been in my right mind, I would have realized it. I would have seen it _before_it happened.

I would have been able to stop it.

Because my words, my angry words, made three things happen in just a few seconds.

* * *

><p><strong>Still with me? What do you think these three things are?<strong>

**Anyways, the link to the necklace that Edward gave her is here (I hope I described it well enough, but I personally love visuals): **s1108 . photobucket albums/h411/bexie25/A%20Choice%20and%20A%20Choice% 20OUTTAKES/?action=view¤t= . jpg

**I'm also going to give you the link to the A Choice photobucket album because Bella's outfit for this chapter is also up there (just so you know, it's the second, third, fourth and fifth image): **s1108 . photobucket albums/h411/bexie25/A%20Choice%20and%20A%20Choice% 20OUTTAKES/

**Just one more thing: There's a new schedule for all my stories so that I can be more prepared and such. It's explained on my profile in full, but all you guys need to know is that THIS story updates EVERY THREE WEEKS on a TUESDAY.**

**Please review and see you in three weeks!**

**bexie25**


	18. We All Fall Down

**Hello everyone!**

**How are we all? I know, it's been three weeks and this is only the second chapter since the new schedule. With as busy as I have been, I'd call the schedule a blessing! This chapter almost wasn't out on time, but it's here, thank god!**

**Now, I usually don't do this, but I think the first part of this chapter needs a song. And the one that I think fits perfectly is: Run for Your Life by The Fray. Listen to it whilst you read this.**

**Just one more thing before I leave you alone with the chapter, How to Save a Life was nominated for the Top Ten Completed Fics of July. Here's the link to vote: twifanfictionrecs category / top-ten-fics / top-ten-favourite-fics-jul-2012 / so please do! The link is also on my profile. :) FYI, we're coming in 2nd and voting ends on the first of September. Please vote!**

*****A/N: 21/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**See you down the bottom, I know you're all anxious to go ahead and read... so go do it!**

* * *

><p>Edward's growl wracked my frame.<p>

Suddenly, I was out of his arms. I couldn't comprehend what was happening—everything was just so fucking fast.

I looked up when I heard the sound of ripping fabric, only to see a big wolf-looking thing in the exact place where Jacob had been. Now, I wasn't stupid. I knew that that 'wolf-looking thing' was in fact Jacob, but the sheer terror that I felt—having never seen him in that form before (combined with how angry he so obviously was)—stopped me in my tracks.

"Bella," I heard Edward's voice sound. I looked up and around for him, quickly spotting him. He was positioned in front of my father and Billy, who had both been closer to Jacob. I momentarily looked over the both of them, hoping to discern that there was definitely nothing wrong with them. When I saw no blood or destroyed, ripped clothes I relaxed just slightly.

_They're ok,_my mind soothed. Still, even then, my heart pounded, echoing in my ears.

"Yes, Edward?" I said, finally able to answer him.

He looked at me, concern, anger, and protectiveness there in his eyes. "I need you to take your father upstairs. Leave Billy down here; I'll tell him where to wait. Preferably, darling" —I heard Jacob's not-so-quiet-growl at the sound of Edward's voice calling me that as Edward ignored Jacob's indignant, unplaced, and _unwanted_response— "I would rather you did not come back down until I came up to you. It's not safe, sweetheart. Jacob is not in his right mind, at the moment."

Jacob growled again, his hackles rising. All around him was destroyed furniture, but I couldn't pay enough attention to that to mourn it. Not with my father and mate in the room, in danger. Edward hissed at him, crouching lower, his stance ready for a fight.

I whimpered before I could help it and he looked at me again. I remembered that Edward had spoken and I swallowed, my brow creasing, "B-but… what about you?" The panic in my voice was easily heard; I couldn't get away from it.

Edward smiled. "I shall be fine, sweet love." I smiled at the name; despite everything that was happening right now, the sound of him calling me by some pet name had me giddy. "Anyone who threatens a vampire's mate should know of the wrath that awaits them."

I knew that this sentence was not aimed at me directly; it was more for Jacob than for me. It was a warning, a heeding; a mark of danger and unrepentant, unrelenting fury.

"I love you," I whispered, tears welling as my throat tightened. "Please, please don't get yourself killed."

Edward's eyes softened as I stopped in front of him. He kissed my forehead then peppered my face with them. "I will, darling. I will come back to you, my sweet."

I nodded, the tears streaking down my face, and I tried to blink the ones in my eyes back. I walked carefully over to my father, the proximity to Jacob making me edgy, and my hand shook as I reached out for my father, who was standing behind Edward unseeingly, too shocked to fight back as I tugged harshly on his arm to get him moving.

I wrapped my arm around his waist and looked at Edward one last time. Pointing my finger at him, I spoke, "You come back to me, ok?" He smiled and nodded, leaning down to kiss me quickly on the lips.

I whimpered as our lips touched, needing that spark of electricity to get me through this. I loved Edward too much to bear him getting hurt, and I was so scared that this would be the last time we'd ever see each other.

But then I stopped myself, reflecting on my thoughts. Yes, both men—boys, really—were fighting for me… but Edward was fighting for his _mate_. He knew that I would not be able to live without him or him me, and so he would get through this because he knew he had an obligation to, not just himself but to me and his family as well. He had the will to stop Jacob from tearing us apart in perhaps the most violent way there was…

Death.

With that thought, strength swelled within me and I kissed him back fiercely, pouring my love and faith into him. When he pulled back to look at me, I held his gaze as the tears dried.

"Come back to me," I whispered and he nodded but looked away. I got irrationally angry and gripped his face, twisting it back to face me. "No," I growled out, sniffling. "Don't do that to me, Edward_—don't_ fucking shut me out. You fucking come back to me, Edward. I don't care if you have to kill the bastard. You do whatever it takes, you hear me?"

"Yes, love," he answered, looking into my eyes, his eyes black with love, fury, and passionate fire. "I will; I will do whatever it takes to make you safe—to be with you so we can have our eternity, my darling."

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. "Good. You better."

He kissed me quickly once more, before whispering urgently, "Go, love. I will be there as soon as I can. I promise you, sweet girl."

I smiled and nodded, steeling myself as I walked with my father up the stairs. Each step was hard, taking my breath away as I tried to calm myself down. Leaving Edward down there to face Jacob—in all his sick-minded fury—was possibly the hardest thing I'd ever done. The fear made it worse than it had been when Edward had left to go hunting when I was sick.

After tonight, I was going to need just Edward and me and our cottage near the Cullen house. I was already shaken up and the fight hadn't even started yet, something I could tell instantly since I was walking up the stairs. There were no sounds but Edward's low, steady voice, trying to get Jacob to at least let them continue this _outside_. The only question in my mind at this point was this: what would I be like once the fight _did_ start and I heard the noises from it?

Dad wasn't recovering from his shock yet and it was starting to worry me, which was something I definitely didn't need. I silently tugged a little harder on his arm and pulled him up the last three steps. I stayed there for a minute, looked down the stairs and at Edward one last time, before sucking in a deep breath.

_Come on,_I thought to myself, tears welling in my eyes. _You can do this. You have to do this. Edward can't worry about me. If he does, he wouldn't be able to do anything—and that would certainly cost him his life._

My mind rebelled that thought easily and I felt sick. My hand slapped onto my mouth and I turned away abruptly, facing away from the stairs. I held it fast against my mouth, keeping the weeping, sobbing sounds in my mouth—at least until Edward came back for me. I knew I couldn't cry while he was down there, either. He'd just worry and get distracted by the sounds and I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't.

I took several deep breaths, my breath hitching in odd places. I clenched my eyes shut tightly, my face screwing up. It was taking everything within me to stop myself from crying and to keep the sounds from escaping me, but I had to be strong. I had to wait for that fucking fight to be over before I got all emotional. I had to do that for my mate, for my Edward.

He needed me to be strong and to trust him, trust _in_him.

And so, I would.

With that determining thought in mind, I grasped Dad's arm and pulled him forward into my room. I walked us over to the bed and sat him down. He complied easily and sat down, falling onto the bed and staring straight ahead in shock. I ignored him, knowing that he would get over it sooner or later, and instead tried to compose myself.

I knew I couldn't sit. I bit my lips, clasping my hands together as I paced, listening closely for any sounds of fighting. After hearing nothing, I crept closer toward the door, just in time to hear the back door close. The harsh, desolate sound made me flinch and I gripped the closest thing to me, bowing my head in an attempt to control my emotions.

_Get. A. Grip_, I thought harshly to myself, squeezing my eyes shut. My hands started to hurt from the pressure of the grip that I had on whatever I was holding.

Knowing that they'd gone outside—though for the life of me, I had no idea how Jacob, in all his werewolf glory could fit through the fucking door—I opened the door and decided to get Dad a glass of water, maybe even linger there for a second or two to see how it was going. That way, I was still far enough away from them that I was safe, but I could keep a close enough eye on them to not have to worry about not knowing.

I decided to first get Dad the drink first and so I slowly opened my bedroom door. It creaked as it opened slowly, and as soon as it was wide enough for me to sneak through, I did so. I tip-toed to the stairs and tread carefully down them, trying to not alarm Edward too much; I wanted the footsteps to be loud enough so he could hear my movements but they didn't distract them and cause him any harm.

I sighed as I got the bottom of the stairs and readied myself before I looked up. The destruction of the living room was, well, adequate, I suppose. It wasn't unfixable, but Dad's favorite coffee table had been crushed and the couches shredded—though Dad's chair, in which he'd told me he'd held me as a baby, was perfectly fine, luckily—in the path of destruction Jacob's violent transformation had caused.

I breathed a sigh as I walked carefully and slowly into the kitchen. The first thing I noticed, sitting there, at the table that I sat at every morning to eat breakfast, was Billy. His eyes were cast down, but upon my entering the room, they flashed up to look at me.

The second thing I noticed was that the snarls and growls of the man I loved and the man who was trying to kill him—the boy, really—were much easily heard down here and I could even hear some of the things that Edward said to Jacob, shivering at the angry, defending tone that he spoke in. My worry increased tenfold and I had to close my eyes, holding my hand over my mouth for a moment, swallowing back the bile before I continued to do what I'd come down here to do.

I ignored Billy, not looking at him as I went over to the cupboard near the fridge. I got a large glass out—knowing that Dad's shock would make him thirsty—then opened the fridge to get out the chilled water that Dad liked, deciding that while beer would definitely make him relax and ease up, it wasn't a fucking bright idea given the situation.

I heard Billy sigh from behind me and I set down the glass a little harder than necessary. I was barely able to contain my anger, both at Billy and at Jacob for what they were putting Edward and me through. The pain of not having Edward in my arms in this moment was crushing, but right now, it wasn't enough to make me collapse. I could do so at any moment though—with how weak and tired I felt—and I knew that that set Edward on edge just as much as it did me.

"Bella—" Billy began, his voice sounding weak and tired.

I couldn't contain my anger anymore, so I spun around and glared at him.

"Don't," I growled out and his eyes widened as he saw my anger first-hand. "Don't you fucking dare even try to speak to me, Billy. I can't and won't speak to you. Your son has… just—" I sighed out so hard that it sounded like a frustrated growl and I pulled on my hair, trying to figure out my scrambled, pain and anxiety-ridden thoughts.

Eventually, I knew what I wanted to say and my eyes snapped open as I glared at the man who once seemed like a second-father to me. "If your son harms Edward even a little bit, I will personally kill him, ok? So don't try to apologize or make up for what you did to me, to Edward, or to Charlie. You can't take it back and make it better, Billy. What's done is fucking done. Now you just have to live with the consequences."

There was nothing else to say, and so I got the jug of iced water and put it hastily in the fridge, having filled the glass to nearly the rim with water. I grabbed the glass of water and nearly ran out of the room, stomping up the stairs to make a point. When I re-entered my room, Dad looked considerably better and he looked at me, light and awareness in his eyes.

I held out the glass for him and he took it, gulping down the water before setting the glass down on my bedside table. It was silent for a few moments before he looked up at me.

"Bells?" he asked, his voice sounding hoarse. I breathed in sharply, biting my lip as panic settled into my bones.

"Yeah, Dad, it's me," I said and he sighed, relaxing slightly at the sound of my voice. "Everything's fine… or, it will be soon." _Please, Edward, don't take too much longer,_I begged internally, knowing it was useless; Edward couldn't hear me.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice sounding so confused. I clenched my eyes closed, tears welling at the sound of his weak voice. My father had always seemed so strong to me, and with all the stress and worry that I was feeling right now, I couldn't be the strong, reassuring daughter he needed me to be in that moment.

I was simply… _lost_.

Before I could even try to reply, the sound of my phone ringing snapped me back into reality. I raced to the other side of my bed and grabbed it, looking at the caller ID.

_Alice._

I answered it, speaking before she could. "Alice?"

"Yes, Bella," she said, relief coloring her voice. "Is everything ok there? What's going on? I couldn't see either of your futures, everything went black… You were supposed to come over for dinner, but you didn't and then Edward wouldn't answer his phone… Oh, we've been so worried, Bel—"

"I know, I know," I said, cutting her off hastily. "I'm sorry about that. The Blacks came over and there's been a little, uh, confrontation of sorts between Jacob and Edward."

"Where are they?" she asked, panic coloring her voice again.

"Fighting out the back," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, but the panic and hysteria and worry I'd been trying to hold back came through and I had to swallow hard to try to control my emotions before I could speak again.

Thankfully, Alice seemed to understand that and when she spoke again, she was reassuring. "Edward will be fine, Bella. He knows you can't live without him; that fact alone will make him unstoppable. Especially with the connection you have, it's stronger than anything we've ever known. He will survive this, Bella."

"But how can you be so sure, Alice?" I asked, biting my lip and sniffling. "I mean, I can't… I don't."

"Calm down, Bella," she said, and I could hear her speaking to the others of our family for a moment before she spoke louder into the phone, regaining my attention. "Carlisle wants to speak to you, ok?"

"Ok," I said, closing my eyes and putting a hand on my right hip. I took deep breaths, in and out, a few times until I heard Carlisle speak into the phone.

"Bella?" he said, and the calming, soothing sound of his sure and confident voice calmed me just a little instantly. "Sweetheart, everything will be ok. Just tell me what's happening and if you need any help."

"I-I…" My breath hitched and I sat down on the bed. "I don't know," I whispered into the phone, gripping it tightly as I tried to focus. I looked down, but couldn't see anything. So, I tilted my head back and clenched my eyes closed as tight as I could, hoping to dispel the tears from my eyes as I sniffled.

"Deep breaths, dear," I heard Carlisle say and I nodded, though he couldn't see it, taking deep, agonizing breaths.

"It hurts," I whimpered softly, hoping to God Edward couldn't hear me.

"I know, dear, I know it hurts, but Edward will be there for you very soon and then he'll get you and your father out of there, ok?" I took a shuddering breath then blew it out, working on relaxing my muscles. "Ok, good, Bella. You're doing very well—_so_well. Now, do you think you can tell me what happened?"

"Yes," I said, squeezing my eyes shut. "Um, I guess Alice told you everything that happened before the Blacks came over? I mean, she can only not see us when they're physically around us and not when they make the decision, right?"

"Yes," Carlisle answered. His voice was so calm and I wondered momentarily how he could do that. How was he so calm when his son—his _first_ son—was in so much danger… because of me? "It's the proximity of a pack member and those related to a pack member that causes the trouble. Specifically, she sees _when_the future will go black, but before then she can only see things that won't be affected by the wolves or anyone with the gene, dominant or recessive."

I nodded, taking deep breaths. I tried to tune out the increasing sounds of fighting outside, but all I wanted—what every fucking fiber of my body, every cell was telling me to do—was to go out there and be with Edward. To protect him somehow from the son of a bitch that was that insolent little wolf-boy out there.

"Now, can you tell me what happened, Bella?" he reiterated, and I realized that that was the third time he had asked the question. Of course, I was distracted and I kept on trying to answer the question but ended up asking him one… but I really needed to just tell him the facts.

"Yes, sorry," I said and he immediately interrupted me before I could elaborate.

"No apologies needed, Bella," Carlisle said. His voice sounded so fatherly, it reminded me of Charlie when he was talking passionately about something to me. The memories made me smile, but I quickly focused on Carlisle's voice as he continued speaking. "Let's just work on calming you down and you telling me what happened. I can't help you to the best of my ability if I don't have all the facts."

"Ok," I breathed out. I proceeded to tell him everything from the time that Jacob and Billy arrived—as much as I knew, including what I'd heard at the beginning of the struggle—right down to when Edward sent me upstairs with my father, making me go to my bedroom to wait for him.

"He's ok, Bella," Carlisle said strongly as I broke down again.

"You don't know that," I cried, wiping the tears away.

"No, I don't," he said firmly, confidently. "But _you_do. You would feel it if he wasn't ok, Bella. And while you are panicking, the pain hasn't increased at all, has it? You don't feel as if you have lost your other half, do you? I am sure that you do not."

I thought for a moment, pausing as I considered what he'd said. When I was able to try to think about it calmly and rationally, I realized that it made sense. I was Edward's other half; just as he couldn't live without me, I couldn't live without him. We were so irrevocably and intricately interconnected to one another—especially with the triple soul connection thing that I was still trying to wrap my head around—that I would feel it if he was harmed in any way.

The sound of the fighting outside—which had grown to a steady crescendo—stopped suddenly and I felt my body run cold for a minute. It was perfectly silent as I slowly walked toward the window, opting to look out and see if I could see the result out there.

The phone was forgotten as it slipped through my fingers, just as the bedroom door opened. I spun around as Edward flew to me and a sigh of relief left me as his arms wrapped around me. He lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his waist and we struggled as tried to touch as much skin of the other person as we possibly could.

"Edward," I cried, leaning back in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck firmly and looked into his eyes. The sight of his face, loving and here in front of me, broke the dam once again and I threw myself into him again as I sobbed and sobbed.

He stroked my hair, gripping me tightly, hugging me to his form without leaving a bit of space left in between us. "There, my love. It's all right; I'm right here. Everything's ok." He repeated these words over and over, but I noticed he didn't tell me he loved me. I also knew that now wasn't the time for that—those words would be spoken when we were calm and alone together in the cottage—but still, it seemed as though he was hesitant to say the words… as if worried about my reaction.

"Take me away from here, Edward," I whispered, leaning my cheek against his, speaking softly into his ear. I rubbed my cheek against his, sniffling, needing more proof that he was ok.

Seeming to sense that I needed this information, Edward smiled softly and leaned down. He brushed his perfect lips against mine and I shivered at the feeling that coursed through me. He leaned back just as I was about to lean up to press my lips fully to his and he looked me in the eyes.

"I'm fine, love," he said solemnly.

I swallowed, whimpering as an amazing sense of relief washed through me. "Really? Not even a scratch? Are you sure?"

He smiled and leaned his forehead against mine, making me unable to look anywhere but into his gorgeous, black eyes. "I promise you," he whispered and I breathed in just as his breath fanned across my skin, hitting my tongue and lips.

I groaned at the taste of him, his scent, and licked my lips, looking up into his eyes. He growled and purred, his eyes following my movement closely before he licked his own lips. I bit mine as I watched him, groaning at the sight of him.

"I love you," I whispered, looking into his eyes, searching them… for what, I had no idea. There was some hesitance in his eyes and I had no idea why but suddenly… I had to tell him how I felt. "I love you. I need you, Edward. I can't… I can't…" I bit my lip as tears welled in my eyes again.

"Shh," he said softly, tightening his strong arms around my waist. Looking into my eyes, he smiled, the hesitancy gone now, as if it had never been there. He leaned in as close as he could. "I love you, my sweet angel," he whispered, and then his lips were on mine.

I couldn't control myself. With what I had been feeling tonight and all the risky, high-tension emotions that had rolled through me, one after the other, not only tonight but during the day as well, I was too highly strung to even begin to try to control myself; it was an impossibility…

And so when Edward's lips descended roughly, strongly onto mine, I kissed him back with as much force as I could. Tightening my already strangling hold around his neck, I moaned and turned my head to the side, needing to feel his tongue tangled with mine.

Edward growled my growl and I relaxed into his arms as he thrust his tongue into my mouth, quickly rubbing it against my own. I released a breathy moan against my volition as feelings swelled within me.

Love.

Need.

Passion.

And then… and then there was one. It was there, as strong as all the others were, but it made me cry as we continued kissing.

I felt… completion. It was the type that I only felt after we'd been separated, but this had a strength to it like nothing I'd ever known before. It was stronger than any type of completion I'd ever felt—stronger than the first time Edward had ever made love to me.

It was just… _more_. It was everything and it made me feel so… alive. I couldn't explain it; it was just so fucking much packed into one kiss that when we broke apart, panting and clenching onto each other as if for our dear life, I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness.

Maybe it was the amount of emotions that had hit me that day, or maybe it was the force of that kiss… but I was suddenly so tired that I just… collapsed in Edward's arms.

~O~

I didn't know how long it was, but whenever it was… time started to mean something again. I could hear voices speaking: slow, low hums steadily getting louder and clearer. I listened to them, trying to get my bearings and concentrate.

"She'll be fine, Edward," the chirpy voice of Alice sounded, demanding. I could hear a frustrated growl and I knew it was my Edward instantly.

"You cannot be sure of that, Alice," he said. He sounded so frustrated and worried—anxious, even—and from the sounds of feet rhythmically, quickly padding on the floor, he was pacing. "She was perfectly fine one moment. Of course, she was understandably worried and strained—with all she's been through today I can hardly believe that she withstood the pressure for this long!—but she was otherwise ok. And then, in that next moment, she simply… collapsed. In my arms, she collapsed."

I didn't like the sound of his worry and anxiety, so I tried to respond in any way I could. I tried to open my eyes, to wrench them open, and at first they were reluctant, but it worked soon enough. It was very hard to see—the blurry images, swirling and seemingly black and white—but when I could work out shapes, I saw my Edward, pacing back and forth. I was sure, instantly, from what I saw around me that I wasn't in my home anymore.

In fact, as the images became more defined and easier to see, I determined that I was exactly where I'd wanted to be.

I was in Edward's and my cottage; _our_cottage.

"Edward," I whispered, my voice weak and cracking. It was loud enough, however, for Edward to hear me and he gasped, spinning around. Suddenly, I was in his arms and it was my turn to gasp because, suddenly, I was in his arms, wrapped around him like a vice. I squeezed my arms and legs around him, winding them as tight as I could and he purred against my neck, burrowing his face into the arch of my neck that connected with my shoulder.

"Bella," he sighed, relaxing as he breathed in deeply, inhaling my scent. With each drag of my scent into his system he relaxed, and as he exhaled on me and I breathed _his_scent in, I, too, relaxed.

"I'm here, baby," I whispered into his ear and he smiled into the crook of my neck.

Leaning back, he looked into my eyes with an intensity that made me breathless instantly. "I love you," he whispered and I swallowed back the raw emotion I was feeling.

My smile was watery as I replied, "I love you, too."

It was only when I heard the near non-existent sound of the door closing that I realized we were alone. I loosened my arms around Edward, making him do the same, and I stood up.

"Take me to bed, Edward," I said strongly, passionately. The need in my voice and my actions were reflected unto Edward and he immediately stood up, growling. I whimpered as he dragged his teeth lightly against my neck, soft enough not to draw blood but hard enough for me to feel and know what he was saying.

_Mine_.

"Yours, Edward," I whispered, looking into his eyes. "Forever and always—you know that."

He smiled. "I just wanted to certify."

I frowned. "Why? You know I love you and I know you love me. We're mates, Edward… why would I ever leave you? Why would I ever want anyone but you?" It seemed strange to me that after everything that had happened, Edward would doubt our relationship _now_, while we were vulnerable at the moment due to the pain and, well, 'preparation' we were going under for whatever-the-fuck was going to happen.

He swallowed and tried to look down, but I wouldn't let him. My hand grasped his chin and I looked into his eyes. "Don't you dare, Edward Cullen. Don't shut me out like that again. Tell me what's going on. What are you thinking?"

I wasn't dumb; I knew something was wrong, and now, all I wanted to fucking know was what that something was.

He swallowed again and sighed, looking into my eyes. For the first time, I saw the full extent of what he was thinking, feeling. He opened his mouth, looking into my eyes as he spoke. "I… Bella, my love, I-the things that we have been through," he swallowed again, closing his eyes, "I simply fear sometimes that you will come to regret this, that you will come to feel that we are not worth it… that _I_am not worth it; the mere possibility terrifies me to no end."

I knew instantly then what I had to do. I needed to—in the only way I could—reassure him that that would never happen. I looked into his eyes, letting him feel and see all of the love that I felt for him; for _only him_.

"Make love to me, Edward," I whispered to him, licking my lips. "Make love to me and feel how much I need you. You are the only one for me, Edward. I'm sure of it."

His lips were on mine then, and there was no stopping us. We didn't have time to think of the fact that so many questions were still unanswered, or the fact that my father now knew more than he ever should have learned. It was simply me and Edward and this need for completion, need for us to be bound as one again, now that the imminent threat of Jacob was gone.

Yes, there were still challenges and problems waiting for us in the future, but right now, in this moment, we needed to fix what was vital. We needed to fix the broken desolateness that all this stress and the separation—no matter how small it was—had caused.

I clawed at Edward's shirt, my arms clenching the back of it as I wrapped my legs around his hips and squeezed for all I was worth. Edward growled and grounded his hard length against my core, making me whimper at the feelings and sensations that that action had left in its wake.

"Please," I whimpered, looking into Edward's eyes as we broke the kiss, panting for air. "Please, please, please, _please_."

"Yes," Edward growled, immediately understanding me. He ripped off the remainder of our clothes and climbed on top of me. He flipped us then, and I was straddling his hips, his length nestled against my entrance.

I swallowed and leaned down over Edward, resting my hands on either side of his head. Nose to nose, forehead to forehead, and Edward's hands on my hips, he lifted me up and lined himself up against my entrance.

We looked into each other's eyes, taking a deep breath before he pushed slowly forward. Edward growled and I moaned as we looked into each other's eyes, and in this moment, we were so vulnerable. Bare before each other, we were unadorned; we had nothing but our bodies, our hearts, and our souls to show each other, and in this moment of vulnerability, I felt so small in his arms.

"Edward," I cried as he pulled back and then thrust in again, the weight of emotions from today falling onto me without warning. I dropped my body onto his, wanting to seek comfort from his touch, from the feeling of us together, skin on skin.

"I love you," Edward whispered, his lips resting against my ear. He sucked on my earlobe, pulling it into his mouth as he wrapped his arms around my waist. My breath hitched as he sat us up, wrapping my legs around his waist tighter and crossing his legs beneath me as I tightened my arms around his neck, pressing my forehead against his as I closed my eyes, squeezing them as tears escaped.

"I love you, too," I whispered, opening my eyes to communicate my love for him further. "I love you so much, Edward… you're all I need. We'll get through this. We have to."

"We will," he echoed, his hands snaking down to my ass as he took over controlling the rhythm of our thrusting. With each thrust, I ground down onto him, gasping from the pressure against my clit at the same time that he growled.

As we climbed higher and higher toward that peak, we left out our words of claiming. Chants of 'mine' and 'yours', along with vows of forever and for eternity were made and part of me; the part that had been harboring all my worry and fear, let go for those few, precious moments. Edward made me forget my worries with a simple look, touch, and smile.

When we were so close to the peak that each thrust made us cry out, Edward tipped me back, angling his hips to hit my g-spot with each thrust. As he did so, he leaned over my body and took a pert nipple into his mouth, sucking and nipping and laving it with his tongue as forcefully as he could.

The pleasure was too much, and with a shout of "mine" I came, milking his own release from him. He came with a feral, sensual growl as I shuddered, moaning his name over and over again.

And it was in this moment that I knew everything would be ok. Today, we all fell down… but we would rise again.

Because we had each other… and that's all that mattered.

* * *

><p><strong>I know that lemon wasn't as big as the usual ones are, but really, I don't think it needed to be. It was more about how desperate they were for one another and besides... there's a bit to make up for, so there'll be one or two in the next chapter somewhere!<strong>

**Thank you for reading... please review and don't forget to vote for How to Save a Life!**

**See you in three weeks!**

**bexie25**


	19. Alone Time Interrupted

**Hello Everyone,**

**This chapter was going to be longer, but with it already at 6000 words and the whole conversation that was supposed to go on not happening… and the fact that it's due today… I decided to put the conversation and everything to do with the conversation in the next chapter. This chapter does have substance, as you'll hopefully see… but it kinda has a cliffy. Not a bad one or anything, but… well, yeah…**

**And lastly, I have an announcement… and I think you'll be exceeding pleased to hear it! You know how I said I'd see if I could come up with an idea for a sequel? Well, I have, but it means that a few things in here that were going to happen – mostly, just Bella's change – is NOT going to happen… not in this one, at least. And the sequel? I've got ideas, but I have to work out a few things and see how I can get a few things to work.**

**Anyways, I'll let you read this baby... it's 12 pages...**

**Hope you like it, loverlies. Leave me love and I'll see you down the bottom. :)**

*****A/N: 21/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**Read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

><p>I sighed, smiling, my eyes closed when Edward's lips touched the skin of my shoulder blade. The past few hours had been magic; the feeling of us joined together again after a day of turmoil and strife was just… indescribable.<p>

Yes, I'd cried a few times during the course of the night but Edward held me fast. That was the thing about Edward, one of the things that I loved most…

He never let go of me. He knew what I needed and _would not let me go_, giving me just what I needed: reassurance. Reassurance of so many things, the least of which being that he loved me and needed me just as much as I needed him, reassurance that we'd be together throughout this, in some way—whether mentally, emotionally or physically—reassurance that he would be there for me and that he would never let anything… or _anyone_… hurt me.

"Edward," I giggled softly, turning around in his arms, wrapping my legs around his hips, squeezing. He leaned down and nuzzled his nose against mine and I gasped when I felt his eyelids fluttering rapidly against the skin of my cheeks. It was magical.

"Mine," he growled lowly, sexily, in my ear, sucking my earlobe into his mouth. I moaned, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down tighter, harder on me.

"Mmm, god, yes," I moaned, licking my lips and turning my head to the right. Edward understood what I wanted immediately and we smiled as our eyes locked—brown to midnight black—only for our lips to be locked in the next second.

Edward's hands wandered all over my body, touching every inch of me. They glided over my ticklish sides, my breasts—making the nipples harden, of course, his touches anything but innocent to me—and all the way up to my face. His hands separated, one cupping my cheek firmly and the other gripping my hair, tugging slightly as our kiss deepened.

He turned his head, tugging on my hair again to make me do the same, and the kiss deepened even further, making me whimper and him growl. He ground his hips against my core and I moaned into him, sucking on his tongue… hard, needing more, more, more, and just fucking more.

There was no big show as he slipped into me. It was easy, natural… effortless. It felt right, as it always had, and it just solidified what my mind had already known… Edward really was here and he wasn't going anywhere.

The realization made me grip his shoulders and he gasped, flipping us again so he was on his back and I was on top of him. It was a nice position, but still, after all this time and all this reassurance, I needed him covering me, surrounding me…

… I needed him to be _everywhere_.

I sat up, not lessening my hold on his shoulders, and he smiled sweetly up at me, love shining in his dark eyes as he sat up with me. He lifted me up by my ass, slipping out of me, but I couldn't protest because I knew exactly what he was doing. With my legs on either side of his body, he quickly crossed his legs. As soon as they were crossed, he gently let me down above him and slowly, oh so slowly, with our eyes connected and breaths shared, we became one once again.

As soon as he was sheathed deep within me, and I'd sunk down on him fully, I wrapped my arms around his neck again and leaned my forehead against his. As it always was with us, every thrust was emotional, every thrust had meaning. Our eyes never left each other's.

We climbed steadily toward that peak, Edward then taking over the thrusting for us as his pace increased, and I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands curling into fists, fisting his hair and tugging on it in the process.

"Edward," I whimpered when he hit that sweet spot inside me that made me explode. I let out a cry, arching my back as Edward roared out his release, ducking down to suck on my right nipple and the cry turned into a scream of blindsiding pleasure.

I slumped against Edward, panting and sweaty, shuddering as little ripples and pulses of pleasure gripped me in a fierce afterglow. Edward's arms wrapped around me and I smiled at the feeling of coldness surrounding me… in me. I clung to him, swallowing and closing my eyes.

"I love you," Edward whispered to me and I smiled, my throat closing up.

"I love you, too," I said back, opening my eyes and looking up to him, not pulling away from him, "So much, Edward."

We held each other silently, not speaking as we waited for the sun to come up. When I felt the warmth of the sun against my skin, I smiled and opened my eyes to look up at Edward.

I gasped. He was beautiful. Sitting there, watching me, with such love in his eyes—love that seemed to be crushing him—his skin looked to be embedded with tiny diamonds. I could see my reflection in his eyes, seeing the awe there.

Sure, it wasn't my first time seeing him like this in the sun, but I doubted I'd ever react in a different manner. He continued to take my breath away in every way, so why not in this way, too?

"Mine," I whispered, smiling up at him as I cupped his cheek, looking into his eyes. He smiled at me, the love in his eyes growing as he nuzzled his nose against my cheek, breathing in and out through his nose.

"Yours," he whispered and I relaxed instantly in his arms, "As you are _mine_."

"Always," I said back, so silently it was almost inaudible. But then I sighed, "The sun is rising… that means Dad's probably already awake… and we have to go talk to him.

Edward's fingers danced against the skin of my left cheek. "Everything will be alright, my love. I will make sure of that… and I can assure you that your father will love you no matter what. How could he feel otherwise? You are his daughter."

I closed my eyes, shaking my head, worry appearing. "I wouldn't be so sure, baby."

"Well, my angel," Edward's voice cooed and I licked my lips, opening my eyes again to look into his sure, confident, vibrant ones. "_I_would."

"How much are we telling him?" I asked, ignoring what he'd just said. I knew that what he'd said—about my father loving me and accepting me anyway, especially since it was _Charlie Swan_—was probably true, but that didn't stop the fear. My father was human and it had never been planned out that he would know anything about this.

The original plan had been for us to wait until after graduation and then we'd leave, we'd disappear. Of course, Edward and I would, eventually, a few years down the track, have to fake our death… but that would then be it. To those who had known me, I would be dead and never coming back.

But that was impossible now. The damage was done—the fucking Blacks had made sure of that—and now my father was to find out god knows how much. Hell, it could be a simple explanation as to what had happened tonight in particular or we could pull out all the stops and drag him into this world.

And I wasn't sure which one I wanted. On one hand, it would be nice to not have to lie to him… to be able to talk to him about everything and not have to fake our death when we left. It would be nice to make sure that he never felt that pain.

Then again, if we did that for Dad, then I knew, from the bottom of my heart, that we couldn't tell anyone else. Dad would be the only one to be able to die easy, knowing that his daughter was happy, content, and most importantly, _alive_.

But then there was the danger. And there would be danger. Telling my father—human, who otherwise would have had no knowledge of this world, would not have had any tie to it (that he knew of, anyway) apart from that—would have been very, very dangerous… fuck, it would be deadly for him.

If the Volturi found out, it would mean and result in his death.

And that was something that I couldn't live with.

Or… could I? Yes, there was the danger… but the positives surely out-weighed the negatives. For one, I could keep my father, he wouldn't be heartbroken to hear of my death and I could talk to him regularly, maybe even see him quietly and for a short time every few months or years.

That was surely better than not telling him. Hell, him being in danger was better than the news of his only daughter's death killing him, right? At least if he knew, we'd be able to protect him if he was in danger… and we'd make sure the Volturi never knew of his knowledge. The only way to truly protect him from this life was to tell him.

I sighed. It was obvious that I needed to think about this in more depth and talk to the rest of our family about it. Maybe they'd be able to shed some light on what to do.

"My love?" Edward whispered lovingly, the fingers of his right hand, this time, brushing against my right cheek before cupping it. I hummed, immediately relaxing when he commenced his mating call for me, his special purr that only affected me and _would_only affect me for the rest of our eternity.

"Yeah?" I mumbled, looking up at him, snuggling into his embrace. All the muscles that had tensed during my digression relaxed at the sound of his voice and his purr for me and I smiled as I kissed and sucked on his collarbone, unable to stop myself from raking my teeth against his skin.

I smiled when I undoubtedly heard his beautiful, sexual, desire-filled growl. The sound made me giggle and I kissed his collarbone again before leaning back and looking up into his eyes, which were, of course, now black.

"Vixen," he growled, closing his eyes as he attempted to gain control. I knew why, we obviously didn't have time for another round; as much as we both wanted it, we weren't going to get it… so why get so carried away by need and lust if it wouldn't be fulfilled?

Ah, fuck that.

"That's me, baby," I purred, tightening my arms and legs around him, pulling myself up and closer to him. I licked the shell of his ear and again, I purred, "I'm _your_ vixen."

He closed his eyes, a growl ripping from his clenched teeth. "Isabella," he purred, struggling to contain himself.

_Bingo._

"Please?" I whispered, leaning up, using his shoulders for support as I licked the length of his right ear shell, from the lobe to the top and then back down. I then licked a trail across his fuckable jaw, to the other ear, and then repeated my actions. I ground my core against his hips, his length hardening within me. "I want you, Edward, _now_."

With a groan, he complied, fucking the daylights out of me.

And boy, does my mate have a fucking _filthy_mouth.

~O~

"Thank you," I hummed against Edward's lips. This time, he was propped up above me, my back against the firm but comfortable mattress. His arms were on either side of my body and my arms were caressing his, gripping them.

"Anything, my love," he purred, smiling at me, his eyes still black.

I sighed, knowing what that meant, and Edward immediately asked me what was wrong. "You have to hunt," I said, sighing again as our grip on each other instinctively tightened. "It's been over two weeks, baby, surely. In fact, the last time you hunted was when the Denalis were here and I was sick, if I recall correctly?" I raised an eyebrow at him as he smiled sheepishly, knowing he was in some measure of trouble.

"I don't want to go yet, love," he eventually sighed, leaning his forehead against mine. "Not right now… not when the pain is going to be at its highest, at its most prevalent. I cannot leave you behind, knowing that you will be left to experience that much pain. It was almost unbearable before, but now? Now it will be impossible. Perhaps…" Edward trailed off, his fingers drawing patterns on my skin.

"Perhaps what?" My words were only met with silence. When he didn't answer after a few minutes, I maneuvered my head and body to make sure he had to look at me. "Edward?"

He sighed. "I was just thinking that perhaps my brothers could go hunting and bring something back for me. Perhaps they could simply bring me back a deer or a mountain lion, or perhaps something small and I could drink from it outside."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Edward," I whispered, suddenly realizing something. Edward's eyes dashed up to my face, intrigue there in his eyes as he waited for me to elaborate. I sighed and looked away, but Edward, of course, wouldn't allow me to. He held my chin fast, but loose enough that it didn't hurt—something that seemed to be on instinct—and it only served to reassure me that my idea wasn't so stupid after all. "You'd never hurt me, Edward… you've said so yourself… many times, in fact."

He looked at me for a moment, his quick mind apparently a little muddled. I looked back at him, letting him see exactly what I was talking about through my eyes, not holding anything back.

He gasped, his expression quickly turning to one of horror… and want? "Isabella, my darling, surely you are not suggesting…"

I nodded. "…that I go with you when you hunt; yes, I am. It's one way to handle it, Edward, and as your mate—and with our connection being so much stronger than most—we both know that you would never be able to hurt me. You are physically unable to, Edward, that's what you've told me. And, it solves all of our problems."

His expression slowly turned from one of horror to one of contemplation as he thought over what I'd just said. I could practically see his vampire brain cogs working as he overanalyzed every aspect of me going with him when he hunted, every little situation that could possibly arise. I was very patient as he mulled over it, my eyes showing not even a bit of impatience as we looked at each other.

Finally, he sighed and he swooped down, kissing my chest, right above the heart that was, for all intents and purposes, forever his. I smiled to myself, knowing what that simple gesture meant—to both of us—and my fingers threaded through his hair. I pulled his face down to mine and kissed him, my tongue seeping through his lips as he breathed in my taste, my scent.

When we were both panting for air—only one of us actually needing it—Edward let most of his body weight down onto me, knowing how much I loved it. His lips teased my neck and I let my head fall back, giving him more access as he sucked, marking me as his.

"Well?" I breathed, swallowing and cocking my head to the side. His head was against my neck, but as I turned my head, he moved his back so it was on the pillow and we could look at each other. I could immediately see the apprehension in his eyes, but there was an excitement there that made me think that this idea of mine might not be so impossible.

His hand came up from its place, draped across my abdomen, and he cupped my cheek. His eyes never left mine as he spoke. "I think, under the circumstances and from what you've pointed out to me, that it's very doable." I could tell there was going to be a 'but' so I was silent, but I let him see through my eyes that I was still going to fight for this, even if it wasn't going to be a hard fight. "However, there are a few things—conditions, if you will—that I would like to go over before we even consider going forward."

I looked into his eyes, smiling at him as my hand came up to caress his own cheek. "Ok."

His eyes lit up when he smiled and he pulled me over to him. I squealed and giggled as he used his natural strength to pull me over him, holding my thighs as I straddled him out of instinct and, well, it was now just a learned behavior.

His hands splayed across my back and I moaned at the strength and power behind them. My mate was a sexually powerful being and I knew that I'd be blessed forever to be with him for even a human lifetime—much less an eternity!

He yanked, hard but gently at the same time, and I jolted down onto him, bracing myself with my hands on his chest. My breath left me in a huff as our eyes connected, and I noted that his eyes darkened as my breath hit his tongue and he breathed in. I swallowed, the moment heavy with sexual tension, which surprised me but made sense at the same time. Of course it did—no matter how many times we'd made love (or fucked, depending on our inhibitions and needs at the time) we'd always need more. The need for each other would never fully be satisfied, another thing I was glad about.

"Well?" I repeated. "What are the conditions, baby?"

He smiled at the hint of impatience in my eyes and tone, and he leaned up to kiss my brow. I could hear the growl building in his chest and smiled to myself; the things he felt and the way he reacted when I called him baby… "You are beautiful when you are irked, my love," he whispered against my forehead and I giggled, my brow crinkling at his actions. He chuckled.

"Well," I whined, making him chuckle again, louder this time. "I wanna know. You said we need to go up there and speak to Charlie… I mean, it would be better–"

Edward froze and his finger pushed against my lips, stopping me from speaking.

"What?" I muttered, trying to speak, even in vain against his finger. Edward muttered something and his brow furrowed, confusing me further. "Edward?" I prompted, impatience again seeping through in my tone.

"Your father's thoughts…" he muttered, but I captured the words this time. I arched an eyebrow and, seeing it, he sighed. "It seems that we're a little too late and your father is anxious to see you, and quite demanding, apparently."

I was confused for a second until it hit me and I gasped, scrambling. "Fuck!" I nearly shouted, getting up and running into the wardrobe,buck naked. I turned around at the door when I heard Edward's growl and when I looked at him, his eyes were black.

I moaned, hating myself for it. At this rate, my father would be walking in on us both naked as the day we were born.

"Edward, we can't do this," I moaned again, covering my eyes from his enticing form. "We have to get dressed, because if you can hear his thoughts then that means he's within three miles of this cottage. That also means that we need to get this room in shape because I'm pretty sure he knows that this is _our_cottage, and knowing my father, he'll want a damned tour. He's a fucking cop after all."

"Ok," I heard Edward mutter, growling in frustration, and I smiled, opening my eyes just in time to see him eyeing my breasts with want. I swallowed back the desire that shouldn't be there given the knowledge I had about my father's whereabouts and regarded Edward lovingly.

"Thank you, my vampire," I said, giggling as I turned around and ran into the walk-in wardrobe. My giggle escalated into laughter when I heard Edward's shout of "minx!"

I looked around for something that was the most like me, smiling when my eyes found exactly what I needed: light grey jeans and a blue-grey sweatshirt that looked just a little too big for me. That seemed acceptable, right?

I quickly located some very plain, non-sexy, cotton white undies and a matching bra. I quickly pulled them on and then went to go get the clothes I'd seen before, pulling them on, too. I hastily ran to the mirror, fixing my hair and setting the clothes right, before walking out to our bedroom—there was no need for shoes.

"Beautiful," Edward purred from behind me and I paused at the door of our bedroom, spinning around. Edward was standing there, the bed now made and our scattered clothes gone—probably in the washing hamper—in black, faded jeans and a green hoodie.

I smiled, blushing at the intensity of his gaze and the sight of his black eyes. "You're not too bad yourself, Edward," I breathed, the words coming out in a purr as lust fell over me in a haze. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out deeply, trying to ignore the tingling in my lady parts.

_What this man does to me, I'll never fully understand… or be upset about,_I thought to myself, my mind reflecting on the need that was starting to really make itself known once again.

I looked up at Edward again and smiled at him. He smiled back as his eyes refocused just above my head. "They are nearly here, darling," he said to me, racing over to me, and I took his hand as we walked into the lounge room which was semi-joined to our room as we walked right into it.

"Who's with him?" I asked, turning around as we stood in the middle of the room. I wrapped my arms around his waist and huddled into his sure embrace, nuzzling my cheek into his cold, hard chest. The action made him start to purr and I relaxed even further.

"Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme," he said softly, his hands rubbing against my back soothingly, relaxing me further, and I hummed in ecstasy. Edward always seemed to know exactly what I needed. "Alice because she'll be able to see his reaction and work with me, so if he gets too… _frustrated_then I'll be able to remove you from the equation reasonably quickly. Jasper's coming to help us along, actually, and Carlisle and Esme because they are my parents and thought it best to be here, as they can sympathize with him if he does get upset by any revelations that come his way during this conversation. He'll need time, my love, and they will be able to help him make sense of his emotions and to explain things if he asks questions."

The last sentence was spoken comfortingly and I smiled against his chest, noting that his purr increased in volume as he sensed my happiness and contentment. I heard a car door slam closed, but even that didn't irk me or make me flinch; Edward well and truly knew his shit.

"My love, unless you want your father to see us in such an intimate embrace, I suggest you disentangle yourself," he cooed in my ear, his voice alight with humor.

I raised an eyebrow at him and leaned back, my stubborn nature showing through when I responded. "Nope, I'm too comfortable. You'll have to do more than that to get rid of me."

Edward's eyes smoldered and I stood there, mesmerized. "I'll never get rid of you, Bella," he whispered, his wonderful breath fanning across my face as I inhaled it. "No one and no single _thing_can or will ever make me."

I smiled at his sweetness. "I'm counting on it."

"All right, Alice," Edward said, his chin resting on my head as I resumed my former position. "We'll try to behave ourselves when it comes to our moments… cannot be too sure, though."

I looked up at him in question and he smiled. "Alice managed to stall your father so our… little moment… went uninterrupted. She was unable to stall for too long, though, and she was silently begging me to try and contain myself so they could come in. She was running out of excuses to keep your very eager father outside."

By the end of his statement, my sweet vampire was trying to keep his amused grin to himself. I narrowed my eyes and let my hands wander down to his ass, giving it a squeeze with a raised eyebrow accompanying it. He growled and closed his eyes briefly to control himself.

He flinched almost simultaneously and I giggled, just knowing that Alice was giving him shit. "Leave him alone, Alice. It was my fault," I said haughtily, pressing my lips together to keep back my chuckle.

"Oh, she knows, my love," Edward said, opening his eyes. "She was just informing me that we're apparently as bad as each other."

"Well, I won't deny that we're a match in every way, Edward," I breathed, smiling at him as his eyes softened and he tightened his arms around me.

"Indeed we are," he breathed, again letting his breath fan across my face, and I moaned at the smell and taste of it.

"Ok, we need to stop," I said, gulping down air and trying to ignore the fact that it just forced more of Edward's delicious scent down my throat. "We need to open that damned door and let our parents and siblings in… before my father has a heart attack with the thought of what we could possibly—and are—doing."

Edward chuckled and kissed my forehead, his lips lingering. "By all means, love."

His arm tightened around me as we walked to the door and I had to take deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself. The hand that was against Edward's back clenched his shirt and that was enough for him to pause, his hand centimeters from the door, and look at me.

"Everything will be fine, my love," he whispered, his calm, loving eyes willing me to compose myself. "I will make sure of it, my darling. If he is angry, then he will have to be angry with me. I am the only valid reason for his anger."

I frowned, having started shaking my head when he'd started talking about my father being angry with only _him_. "That's fucking ridiculous, Edward. _If_he's angry, he can be angry at both of us." My tone left little open for argument, and sensing this, Edward merely nodded, his hand finally grasping the door handle.

He looked at me again, just making sure I was ready like the kind and doting mate he was, and at my nod, he opened the door.

As soon as the door was open, and I saw the five of them standing there, I surveyed them.

I looked at my father first, immediately alarmed by his appearance. He must've had a rough night, because he looked tired and his clothes seemed to be rumpled. I realized that he'd had to sleep in those clothes. My eyes travelled over his tired eyes, his already visible scruff, and I remembered that I had a shaver. I'd have to ask him if he wanted to borrow it…

I then moved on to Alice and Jasper. Their arms were around each other as they stood side by side, and standing in front of them, I could see how perfect they were for each other. Yes, Alice was small with a tiny frame and height while Jasper was tall, lean and had broad shoulders. Even despite their physical difference, they fit together, suited each other in every way. It was easy to get that.

Then, lastly, my eyes fell on Carlisle and Esme, my vampire parents and, in Esme's case, my one true mother. They, too, looked perfect for each other. With Carlisle's blonde hair and perfect clothing and Esme's soft curves, loving, motherly face and smile, and her beautiful, caramel-colored hair, they also fit together perfectly.

Just like Edward and I, I could see how the two sets of vampire mates fit and were meant for each other. It was easily seen in every little smile, look, and touch how much they relied on the other and how much love they held for one another.

"Bella," my father gasped raspingly, and suddenly I was ripped from Edward's arms, hoisted into my father's. I could hear Edward's low growl and my eyes sought him out in panic, pain now searing through my body.

"Edward," I gasped, reaching for him. The pain was taking over everything and I couldn't concentrate on anything but him and my need for him and his touch. I couldn't even be guilty for reaching out to him, though my father was holding me in a panic himself.

He was in front of me within half a second, taking my hands in his, his eyes begging no one in particular that that was enough for now. He could hear my dad's no doubt frazzled thoughts and I felt immediately guilty—more so than before—for needing Edward so much when my father was so worried about me. It killed me that I needed Edward so much and, in the process, hurt Charlie.

Dad stiffened at the sound of my mate's name from my lips and he leaned back to look at me. The hurt that was clearly displayed on his face and in his eyes hurt me more than he or I could've imagined, but there was also a determination of sorts… a determination that quite frankly scared me.

My father looked between my Edward and me, and then, suddenly, before either of us could prepare for it, my father ran toward the bedroom I shared with Edward. I could do nothing other than scream out in pain, making Edward roar in fury and heartache, as I reached for Edward, half-crazed.

"Put me down, put me down!" I screeched, my fists pounding on my father's back. He held me tight as I squirmed, looking for some way to get to Edward. The pain was blindsiding and I needed relief, needing Edward's arms around me, now. "Edward!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, and the effort it took to get the sound out at that magnitude hurt my chest, making me clutch at my ribs. I sobbed as my father held me down, his back to my also half-crazed mate who was currently being held away from me, restricted by his brother and his own father. I could see the hatred he felt for them in that moment, the betrayal that he felt they had committed, and I had to admit, much as it pained me to do so, that I felt the exact same way.

I looked at Esme and Alice, watching them for a moment, begging them to help me. The words themselves left my mouth in a pathetic sob and whimper, my frame starting to shake as it caved in on itself. The roar that Edward was letting loose grew in volume, and it grew to a stage that was so bad, the house started to shake.

"Edward," I repeated with every breath, looking for him, though the tears I'd started to shed made seeing anything impossible. "Edward. Edward, Edward, Edward." The pain made me tremble and I cried out as it suddenly got worse. "_Edward!_"

I heard his roar and then, the next thing I knew, the pain and the tears were all gone. In its place, cool arms were around my waist, my legs wrapped around hips and my hands buried in hair. My head was burrowed into the person's neck and from the sound of the growl—_my growl_—I knew that I was now in Edward's arms. I knew that, for whatever reason, they'd either let him go or he'd finally pulled free and now he was here.

Whimpers and whispers of "mine" and the subsequent and impending "yours" were released as we panted. Relief took over our bodies, minds, and souls as we melded into each other, seeking relief and comfort from the other.

When we heard the sounds of others coming closer, Edward growled furiously and warningly at them, jolting back. I lifted my head from his neck to look up at his face, feeling so small, yet safe and protected in his arms, it was ridiculous. My hand rested on his cheek instinctively, and when he looked down at me, I saw everything.

My Edward, my sweet, sweet vampire, was feeling the exact same way I was. He was scared and worried about me, just as I was scared and worried about _him_. We both wanted the other safe and happy, and anything but put our minds in total chaos.

That was when I connected the dots. This whole thing—my father coming in and then hugging me, only to pull me away from my Edward even further—had been a test.

I was furious.

Edward's arms around me became restricting when he felt my anger, and I could feel Jasper as he used his gift to try and calm me down. My head snapped around and I looked at him. "Don't you fucking dare, Jasper. How dare you!" I sneered and then, looking at the rest of the Cullens and my father, I repeated the angry sentiment. "No, seriously, how fucking dare you test Edward and me when we're so fragile! You could have gotten my father killed!"

They all looked rightfully rueful for their actions but I could see Carlisle contemplating what our reactions could mean.

Eventually, he spoke, "So everything is still increasing in intensity? The pain and desperation has not lessened?"

Because I was still so fucking pissed, I couldn't control my mouth and I replied, bitingly snarky and sarcastic. "Oh, what do you _fucking_ think? Of course it's still worse and you haven't been helping. And I swear to god, if you do that again, I will let Edward act out his anger—don't think I won't."

Carlisle immediately backpedalled, but there was something in his eyes that made me think that my reaction was making him curious. "Of course, Bella, we knew that. We would never have let Edward hurt your father–"

Unfortunately for Carlisle, it was the wrong way to go. Again, I stopped him from speaking further. "You know what? I don't want to hear it. All I can say is let's get this fucking talk over with because now that you've done what you've fucking done, I, for one, am feeling the need to mark my mate again. And, from the way Edward's nuzzling against me and breathing on me, I'd say he feels the same."

With that said, there was nothing left to do. We all sat down on the couches and, with a sigh, we looked at Charlie. I knew now... I knew that it would never be the same.

Dad would find things out that he was never supposed to know.

* * *

><p><strong>So... major talk to Charlie next chapter and then a vision... ensuing more drama, of course (no, it's not over yet) and then some love me up time. :)<strong>

**Theories on what might be happening next?**

**Please review**

**bexie25**


	20. Conversations of Importance

**Hey Everyone**

**Ok, so here's the next chapter. It isn't a conversation - well it is, mostly - but it's not the "Charlie knows let's tell him more" conversation. At the beginning, Charlie asks a question, etc. and the Cullens and Bella quickly answer it. Then, because Bella and Edward felt the need to mark each other, they get some alone time whilst Charlie tries to sort through his evidence and figure out what the Cullens are. Because remember: Volturi law is that vampires must not _tell _humans what they are. I have found a loophole in that rule!**

***evil laugh that echoes really weirdly***

**Anyways, so here's a chapter that was written and edited today. Yep, all this was written in ONE day. This story is a story that I am adamant will not get a late chapter. It just can't because I have three weeks to write each chapter. And besides, at least I learned today that I can write more than 5000 words in a day! :)**

*****A/N: 21/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**Anyways... I'll see you guys down the bottom. Read, review and enjoy!**

**(Oh! and P.S., Dirtyward comes out in the middle of the chapter. Just saying! *smirk* Enjoy ladies!)**

* * *

><p>"Where should we start?" I said out loud, looking around the room for pointers from my vampire family. There had been a few moments of silence—uncomfortable as it was—as we all tried to get used to the fact that, after this, my father would know. It was scary to think that all which should have remained a secret would not be one in just a few hours.<p>

Carlisle was the one to speak first and we all looked at him. He was sitting there with his hands clasped, his elbows on his knees as he hunched forward. There was a slight frown on his face. "Well, the law states that no human—unless they are the mate of a vampire, and that rarely happens anyway—is allowed to be told of our existence and live. They are to immediately be changed."

"So maybe we don't tell him," I said and their heads all shot to me, confused. I laughed, shaking my head. "I mean, maybe he could guess. He already has enough facts to guess at what you are, and with how perceptive he is, I'm honestly surprised he hasn't guessed yet. Maybe if we just force him to lay down all the facts and analyze them, he could guess and guess right." I looked at Carlisle directly as I continued, "You were the one who said that humans aren't allowed to be _told_. What happens if they guess? It technically doesn't break the law, right?"

The door opened then and in walked Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett was laughing as he stared at me, and I looked back at him, confused both by his and Rosalie's sudden appearance and his reaction. He shook his head as he and Rosalie sat down, his laughter dying out after a while. He spluttered out, "She's diabolical!"

I snorted, "Honestly, Em. I would have thought you'd know that already."

He frowned. "How?"

I giggled. "You've spent enough time with me to know that I can bend rules. And you also know that if I have to, I can have a very vindictive nature—especially to protect the ones I love." When I said that last part, I leaned back into Edward, and almost instantly, he rubbed his cheek against mine. I closed my eyes and hummed, relaxing into his embrace. My body twitched with the desire to just turn around and straddle him so he could surround me like he usually did, but I quickly reminded myself that my father was in the room.

Speaking of the devil, as I lost myself in my mate's presence and scent, I heard him clear his throat and I snapped out of my haze, as did Edward. We growled under our breath, unhappy that our time together was again interrupted. Charlie looked at us, having obviously heard our reaction, and I could read the shock on his face easily.

"Sorry, Dad," I said, trying to sound sincere. I really didn't feel all that fucking sorry at all. Thinking desperately, I had a moment of inspiration and I beamed as I looked at my father. "Tell you what. Edward and I need a little alone time and you need to think. Therefore, Edward and I will go into our bedroom, you guys can do whatever and, Dad, you can have this room to yourself while you sort out your thoughts."

Dad looked at me uneasily, his gaze then shifting to Edward. "And what will you two be doing in your bedroom?"

I smiled. "Marking each other, of course." Dad raised an eyebrow in question and I laughed. "We'll be rubbing our scents on each other, Dad. It's a sign that means that we're mated and that we are each other's and each other's only."

He grunted out an indignant response and I bit my lip to keep from laughing. I could see that he was eyeing Edward out of the corner of his eye and there seemed to be some interest in them as he regarded the rest of the Cullens.

"What is it, Dad?" I asked, looking at him. He looked at me and shrugged, to which I raised an eyebrow. "Dad, you've got curiosity written all over your face. I'm your daughter—did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

He blushed at my statement and mumbled something that I couldn't hear. Whatever it was, it made Emmett laugh. The sheer loudness of it made me glare at him and he watched me as I cocked my head toward my father. He nodded and calmed down almost instantly.

Charlie looked at me for a moment, then at Edward, before he sighed. "I was just wondering what happened. I mean, does everyone have a… a whatever-you-call-them? Are they found easily? And did you know that you were each other's…" He trailed off, looking for a word to describe what we were for each other.

I smiled. "Mates," I said softly, love filling my voice as I looked up at Edward. His eyes smoldered as he looked down at me and he nuzzled his nose against my cheek. "We're mates."

At that, Edward began to purr and I hummed as it calmed me down even further. I was sure that, by how calm I was, I could've fallen asleep easily. I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder, inhaling his scent deeply and he growled under his breath as he noticed my actions before doing the same to me, his nose buried in my hair.

"Bella," Dad said and I looked over at him, pouting just a little.

"My beautiful mate, please do not pout like that," Edward murmured in my ear, his arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me onto his lap. I smiled at his confidence and leaned back into his arms as I looked at my father.

"Yeah, Dad?" I said softly, smiling at him. He was watching my interactions with Edward carefully, scrutinizing them as he would a murder suspect.

He looked me in the eyes, looking into them so deeply as he searched for something. "You're happy," he stated and I smiled.

"Blissfully," I said, and Edward purred, his lips turning up into a smile. I turned my head and looked at him, pecking him on the lips. "I am happy, Edward."

"Even with everything that is happening now?" he whispered, pain and worry coating his voice. I swallowed and frowned, looking at him as he continued. "Even with all that you will have to sacrifice, and the dangers that surround you? You… you really are happy, my darling mate?"

I smiled, and sniffled. "Yes. Blissfully, Edward… and that's because of you. I'll always be happy and content as long as I have _you_."

His relieved, overjoyed smile nearly made me cry. He pulled me to him tighter and kissed my lips, consuming me as I gripped his hair and his arm, my fingers digging into his impenetrable, hard flesh. "I love you," he whispered when he pulled away and breath left me as I leaned my forehead against his.

"I love you," I whispered, sniffling again. Then I remembered just who was in the room and I turned around, stiffening.

"Shit, sorry," I mumbled, turning around in Edward's lap, not realizing that during that kiss, I'd straddled him. I blushed as I looked at my father and noticed that he, too, was blushing and looking away. Emmett guffawed quietly but Edward growled at him, sending him a fierce, protective glare and, once again, he stopped, mumbling something that made Rosalie kiss his cheek, smirking.

"It's quite alright, honey," Esme said, watching us with tender, motherly eyes. Her happiness shined through in them as she regarded us. "We know how it is, remember. And I'm sure that once your father has figured out just what we are and we speak with him about it, he will, too."

I nodded, abruptly nervous. I looked over at Dad, noticing that he'd started watching us again. I smiled sheepishly at him and he chuckled a little, shaking his head.

"I always knew," he mumbled, his eyes scanning the room before he stopped and settled his gaze on us. "I always knew that there was something about this family, about the way you interacted with each other that was otherworldly. This… this mate thing… it comes with the territory of being what you are?"

I looked to Carlisle for that one and he smiled at me, nodding. He turned to Charlie, leaning forward as he opened his mouth to speak. "It's difficult to explain, really, Charlie. If I may, I'd like to give you just one piece of evidence that will help you. Us… our family, we are immortals. As humans we were able to move around from relationship to relationship a lot easier. With… what we are… it is a lot more, concrete, unchanging. We cannot go from one person to another unless we are unmated, and most don't even do that for they know—or _hope_—that their mate is coming."

He turned to look at his wife—his mate, his Esme—then and she smiled at him, love shining in her round eyes as she took his hand in both of hers. He turned again to look at Charlie, who was watching them curiously, soaking up all the information. "The time for a mate to arrive is not concrete, but that's not to say that it isn't predetermined. I believe that our mate comes at the time that we most need it. I waited for two hundred years to find my Esme. It was after I had found my first companion, Edward, and had changed him into what we are. I knew that I had the ability to do so without the fear of being unable to stop myself. It was at a time that I felt… well, I was looking for love, I suppose, in a way. I had a companion, but I wanted someone to love and someone who would love me in return.

"Rosalie waited only two years, but her past, I believe, made her need for a mate come along faster. She was bitter and needed support that only a mate could bring. Jasper and Alice met outside of the family and came to us. Jasper himself was struggling with what we are and wanted to find a way out. Alice was unable to remember any of her human life but because of her gift of foresight, she had already found or known, I suppose, Jasper and our family. I feel that if she had not found and seen Jasper and our family, seen the way of life that we provided, she would have become a savage."

It was then that Carlisle looked over at Edward. The love that he had for his first companion, first friend, and first son was easily seen in his eyes as he looked at the both of us. "And Edward; he waited close to a century. He'd already struggled with what we are and rebelled against the idea that I brought forward just as a seventeen-year-old like he is would. He was losing faith and desperately wanted to feel, to know and to experience what those in his family did. He wanted a mate, and I think that Bella came along at the time that Edward was at his wit's end, hoping to find one." He looked at Charlie then and said, "There are others, others that we are friends with that are still unmated, though they are close to being millennia old."

I knew then that he was speaking of Tanya, and though she'd apologized for her actions before she'd left, I was still a little sore on the subject. I ground my teeth together and gripped Edward's arms that were wrapped around me. "Mine," I grumbled under my breath.

Edward smiled and leaned around me, making me look at him. His eyes smoldered as he looked into mine and he said the words that he knew would calm me significantly. "Yours, my sweet angel."

I nodded and rubbed my cheek against his, licking my lips at the low growl he released.

"Bella," Carlisle called and I huffed, looking over at him. He smiled apologetically. "The second part of your father's question… perhaps you'd like to answer it? I believe he was asking for yours and Edward's personal experience."

"Which question was that, again?" I asked Dad, looking at him.

"How did you know you were… mates?" he asked, and I smiled as he tested the word out.

I looked at Edward, asking him silently if he wanted to speak first. He smiled and shook his head, so I turned and faced Dad.

"Well," I said, biting my lip as I remembered what I'd done standing in front of Edward and Jacob. "Let me just begin by saying that for the first… nearly two months, I had no idea what the connection to Edward was. I was… I always wanted to be with him and everything about him just made me want that more. He was charming and endearing and I just wanted to… to love him. But I was sure that there was no way that could happen. When Edward told me what he was the afternoon after my first day of school, he'd neglected—purposefully—to tell me about the mating connection. I knew nothing about it."

I looked back at Edward and glared at him playfully. He kissed my nose and I giggled, looking back at Dad as I continued to speak. "The day after the altercation with Jacob, I came to school and told Edward what he'd said. I wasn't exactly ready to tell him exactly what had happened and what Jacob had done… and for some reason, I knew instinctively that I couldn't tell him around others. I knew he'd go ballistic."

I looked at Edward again, continuing my account of things as I looked at him. "He… he confused me. He shocked me when I told him that Jacob had said I was his imprint, and don't worry, Dad, we'll explain what that is later. He… he seemed… he sounded so pained," I said, choking up at just the thought of Edward feeling pain, and at my hand, no less. Edward mewled, seeing my pain, and held my hands in his, looking into my eyes, love shining. "He said, 'it can't be'. He looked like he was in so much pain and I hated it. I tried to get a word in, but he wouldn't let me. He was so possessive, even then. He told me that Jacob could not be my imprint, and when I asked him why, he said because I'm his mate and he loved me too much to lose me."

I choked on my tears and Edward's arms tightened around me out of instinct. He growled my growl lowly in my ear and I quickly calmed down as he rocked me and murmured how much he loved me in my ear.

"Sorry," I whispered, looking at Dad. He smiled slightly and I took a deep breath to continue.

From there, I told him everything. I told him what had happened when I'd stood, looking at both Jacob and Edward. I told him what I'd felt as I had considered each little thing that helped determine who I was supposed to be with and what it felt like and meant to both Edward and me when I'd realized it was Edward.

Charlie listened avidly. I could see his interest as he listened to what I was saying, and when he asked Edward for his experiences, his interest sprouted. He questioned my mate when he spoke of his inner 'monster' and Edward answered the best he could without revealing exactly what they were.

"Ok, Dad, it's time for us to let you alone with your thoughts for a while," I said, smiling at him. He nodded up at me vaguely as I got up off Edward's lap. Edward was already standing up with me and tugging me to our room by the time I blinked. I had no idea where the Cullens went, but they, too, had already vacated the room when Edward closed our bedroom door behind us.

As soon as the door was closed, I wrapped my arms around Edward's neck. He lifted me up by the ass and I wrapped my legs around his hips as he trapped me between his body and the door we'd just walked through. I moaned when he growled and kissed me forcefully, pushing his tongue through my lips.

I whimpered when he released my lips. Need was floundering between the both of us, the electricity that was always between us making it hard to concentrate on anything but him and what he was doing to me, what he was making me feel. I needed him, I wanted him. I wanted to claim him as mine and for whatever fucking reason… I needed to mark as mine.

_Again_.

He sensed my compulsion and smiled, licking his lips. I ached to do that for him but he shook his head and leaned his forehead against mine. His midnight eyes bored into mine as he uttered one word.

"Mine."

I nodded furiously, "Yours, Edward. Oh, _god_, I'm all fucking _yours_."

He growled, his need for me growing even harder at the sound of the curse as it fell from my lips. Crashing his lips to mine, he rubbed his cold length against my hot core and I whimpered as he rubbed himself against my clit. He swallowed my cries as I clenched from the pleasure of what he was doing to me.

"Do we have enough time?" I panted against his lips as he leaned his forehead against mine and focused on the pleasure he was bringing us both. He thrust against me, right against my slit, and then rubbed up to my clit, circling his length against it.

He made no move to answer my question, so I asked again, impatience clear in my voice. "Dammit, Edward, do we have enough time?"

He smirked at me and cocked his head to the side and toward the door, making a show of telling me that he was listening out for my father's thoughts. He'd already told me that his thoughts were not as easy to hear as most, but not completely blocked as mine were.

He looked at me a few seconds later and smiled. "Not enough time for that, my dear love… just enough for me to mark you properly."

My eyes narrowed. "And vice versa?"

He smiled at me, leaning down to nuzzle his nose against mine. "Of course," he breathed and I moaned, tasting his sweet breath and scent as it wafted over my face.

I smirked and tightened my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, hugging him to me tighter as I buried my face in his neck. "Good," I said and my tongue slithered through my half-open mouth. He growled as it touched his skin and began to draw patterns, his hands on my back gripping my shirt so tightly that I was sure he was going to rip through it.

Edward pulled me from the door and slowly walked us to the bed. When there, he dropped me back onto it and quickly climbed on top of me, laying his body onto me so I could feel every part of him.

And I mean _everything_.

Edward surprised me by tugging on my shirt, moaning in my ear that he wanted it off and now. I was all too happy to oblige, telling him to rip it off. He smirked and growled as he did so, and I swore I could hear Alice's shriek, but that was quickly thrust into the back of my mind as Edward's lips descended upon my skin, tasting, sucking, licking, _marking_.

"All of you, Isabella," he said in a lustful voice and I whimpered, my fingers threading through his hair. "Every single part of you is _mine_. Say it."

I looked up at him and knew that this was about whatever Jacob had said to him last night. Whatever it was, it had made him feel unsure of whether I was happy with my life with him—as I saw today, clearly—and whether I truly felt that I was his, whether I knew it.

I looked into his eyes, seeing the vulnerability there and hating it. I longed for it to be gone and so I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him forcefully. This time, my tongue thrust into his mouth. This time, I was the one reassuring him. And _this time_, he was going to know, once and for all, that I was perfectly content with him and that I was his—completely, utterly, irrevocably, forever _his_.

I turned my head to the side and Edward did the same as we deepened the kiss. Our tongues battled for dominance, and I let him win, showing him in every way that I could that I. Was. _His_.

And, of course, that I fucking loved it.

I loved _him_.

"Edward, please," I whimpered, my fingers threading through his hair again as his lips left mine. He licked a trail from my lips, down my neck and when he reached my pulse point he sucked; hard. I arched off the bed, my eyes closing and squeezing shut at the pleasure of what he was doing. But then, he stopped and his lips went further down, down the valley of my breasts.

He licked around the edge of my bra, from the strap on the left side, down my breast to the connector—the clip was at the front this time—and up the other side. He looked up at me, his onyx eyes begging me in question and I bit my lip, nodding as I closed my eyes, preparing for what he was going to do next.

The sound of ripping fabric bounced around my room and I gasped, my eyes flying open. When my eyes connected with Edward's, I nearly did a dance. This Edward, this was the one that I was only now becoming acquainted with. This one was the one who said anything, did anything he fucking wanted to while seeking pleasure.

Dirty Edward, my sweet, sexy man was here in the room. Gone was the conservative, twentieth century vampire that was usually with me: the one that still could pleasure but never said a dirty word in his life. In his place was the man—the vampire—that I'd been craving, the one that made me come in my panties nearly every time.

I purred like a cat, arching up to him and he got the idea. He licked his lips, his fingers brushing over my nipples and they pebbled, rising to a stand from the attention. He growled at the sight, purred a "mine" and dove for them.

I very nearly cried out when he started sucking on my left nipple. His mouth was so cold; it was such a striking contrast from how hot my skin was and it felt so… fucking… good.

"Edward, stop teasing me," I whimpered, looking into his eyes as I arched from his ministrations. I whimpered, "If we can't go all the way, then don't just go part of the fucking way!"

He chuckled, the sound husky, and my panties just got wetter. He sucked in a deep breath, tasting the air around him, tasting my arousal, and in the next second, my pants were off, my panties literally ripped form my body and his face was millimeters away from my dripping center.

He was obviously out to torture me. At first, he just breathed. Just in and out, making sure that it hit me right there, making me clench and shiver and quiver in need and anticipation. My fingers pulled and tugged harshly at his hair, making him growl as I tried to pull his face closer to where I needed him. His nose touched my drenched folds, but still, he made no move to do anything. He just… looked at me, and tasted me in the air every time he took a breath.

"Now, Edward," I said, tugging with all my might toward my core.

Finally, he gave up. His mouth descended on my folds, lapping at the juices that had already gathered there. When that wasn't enough for him, he moved his tongue to my entrance and thrust it in. Simultaneously, his finger came up to my clit and drew fast, hard circles; unrelenting ones that made stars burst under my eyes and tears well as I cried out.

Edward's hand came up to my mouth and he smirked. "As much as I love to hear you while I fuck you—whether it be with my fingers, my tongue, or my cock—we cannot afford for your father to hear you. I doubt he would let you visit us… especially me… if he knew just how much I've deflowered you already."

I keened at the seductive, dirty lilt of his voice. My hands guided him as he sucked out my juices, two of his fingers on my clit and his tongue in my pussy.

Before long, he knew I was coming and he redoubled his efforts. My cheeks flamed as I was filled with warmth, pleasure making my back arch, my mouth run dry, and my eyes squeeze shut. I licked my lips, my throat parched as Edward slithered up my body. He licked my essence from his lips and kissed mine, thrusting his tongue into my mouth to give me a taste.

"There," he panted, looking into my eyes as if he were reading my soul. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck, feeling so weak after such pleasure, and he leaned his forehead against mine, our bodies lined up against each other. "Marked, my love; we're both marked."

I hummed, skimming my nose against his jaw line, loving that I could smell me and him together, our scents mixed.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and we looked up at each other, stiffening a little. We waited to hear whatever they were saying, while realizing that they'd probably heard everything of what we'd done. Edward's arms tightened around me possessively, a growl ripping from deep in his chest as I flushed with embarrassment and burrowed my head into his neck.

"Oh, god," I gasped, remembering just how I'd reacted to Edward's actions. "Fuck, Edward… Dad probably heard me. I was loud, wasn't I? I always am."

He smiled sweetly, his lips at my ear then. "You were moderately loud, but he was so consumed by his thoughts that he did not notice your shouts."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Good."

"Come, love," he said, getting up and pulling me with him. He looked down at my naked body and groaned. "As much as I would love for you to stay in this state of undress, I doubt your father would appreciate it. Go get dressed into clothes that are comfortable; I shall wait for you here."

I nodded and quickly went into the wardrobe room. I pulled on some new underwear, the others having been ripped from my body in Edward's exploits. The ones I hastily pulled on were a deep, sheer purple; the silk felt magnificent against the sensitive skin of both the body parts that they covered. Over that, I put on a pair of track suit pants and a cotton long-sleeve, thin shirt. No shoes; I was in my own cottage… why should I wear shoes?

When I walked back out, I noticed that Edward had changed, too. I realized that he must have come in after me and whizzed around. He, too, was in far more comfortable clothes and no shoes. I almost laughed at how we very nearly matched. He was wearing a pair of track suit pants and a short sleeve t-shirt.

I wrapped my arms around his waist, sighing as I rested my head against his chest. I closed my eyes, feeling so tired that my knees trembled. Edward purred in my ear, relaxing further, and I moaned as I pretty much fell asleep standing against him.

Edward, sensing and seeing for himself just how tired I was, picked me up. His right arm was at my knees, his left holding my back. I leaned against him and wrapped my right arm around his neck, fisting his shirt as he carried me slowly out.

Quickly, we were seated, though we'd not moved from our previous position. I was still in the same position, and I could tell Edward had merely fallen back—deftly, so that I was not jostled—into the seat. The fingers of his left hand caressed my arm lightly and I shifted further into his arms, humming as I exhaled.

"Bella?" Dad said and I opened my eyes at the slightly panicky tone of his voice.

"I'm fine, Dad, just tired," I said and he frowned, looking between us. I knew that he was wondering why I'd suddenly changed clothing and why I was so tired.

Edward, seeing this—and probably hearing it in his thoughts, too—smiled and answered for me as I leaned my head back against his chest again. "It's all right, Charlie. Bella's fine. The marking process—depending on how much marking we do—can sometimes be a little tiring. When we mark our mate, we rub our scents against the other and sometimes the exertion of doing so—we like the scent potent enough, meaning we have to have quite a lot of it sinking into the other's pores—can be very strenuous." As he spoke, his fingers rubbed my back, the tips just grazing my arm. I smiled, my eyes open as I watched Dad's reaction. "As for her change of clothing, I felt that if she was so tired, she should be in something more comfortable, and because she likes to lean against me as she sleeps or rests, I thought I'd do the same."

Dad seemed to accept that explanation and he nodded, settling back into his chair. He looked at everyone and I turned around a little in Edward's arms, wrapping his arms around my waist and leaning back against him, my back against his chest. My head rest against the crevice of Edward's neck and I pressed a brief kiss against his jugular and he hummed, making me giggle.

We turned to the rest of our family—Charlie included—and realized that everyone was silently watching us from the corner of their eyes. Upon realizing this, we stopped and there was a brief moment of awkwardness as we all wondered what to do from there. Charlie was the only one who commented on it.

"So," Dad said, sucking his teeth as he looked at us all again. He blushed a little from the attention we were giving him and mumbled, "Where to begin?"

"Start with the obvious, I suppose," I said strongly. "Do you know what the Cullens are, Dad?"

He swallowed and nodded, looking down. Again, there was silence but none of us prodded, waiting for him to be ready to say the word.

And then, he did.

"Vampires," he blew out and my stomach and chest flooded with a sense of… well, I was so fucking nervous about his reaction that I couldn't really classify exactly what it was that I was feeling.

* * *

><p><strong>I know, it's a bit of a "nothing" chapter... or at least that's what I thought. Let me know what you think...<strong>

**Oh, and I forgot to tell you up above so I'll tell you down here.**

**There's a few things, so I'll list them.**

**1. We got to 300 reviews last chapter... well, last night. Thanks for that everyone and thanks for reading and loving this story! The only stories that grow a few hundreds... and then thousands... are my drabbles. :)**

**2. I have a new story (that's a fourshot) that is also a vamp/human story. It's called _Above All Else _and if you haven't checked it out already, please do so now!**

**That's all, actually. I thought there was more, but there isn't.**

**So... I'll see you in three weeks. The next chapter is on: the 9th of October. :)**

**Please review, ladies and let me know what you think!**

**bexie25**


	21. Panic Attack

**Hello Everyone!**

**Welcome back for the next chapter of A Choice. I'm glad you all liked the last one and thanks for the 15 reviews! This chapter is more drama, more sweetness and well... no lemon.**

**Sorry about that, but there's gonna be one next chapter. Speaking of next chapter, it's gonna be a little time jump of either a few days. I'll let you know more about what's gonna be in that chapter down the bottom because you need to read this chapter first!**

**In other news, I'm on twitter now under the name bexie25. If you have it, please follow me! :)**

**Not much to say, so I'll see you down the bottom!**

*****A/N: 21/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*****

**Read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

><p>There was silence for a few minutes.<p>

I looked at each of the Cullens, feeling Edward's comforting growl as it reverberated against me. The silence was killing me, and as I glanced at Dad, I could see that he was a little on edge as well. As I looked at him, nearly giggling in amusement at his animated face, I could see that, while on edge, he wasn't uncomfortable or scared… any of the apparently 'normal' reactions.

If anything, he looked fascinated while he studied my vampire family and I turned to look at them, wondering what was so interesting.

I saw what he was seeing immediately.

He was seeing the vampires within them; he was seeing them when they'd stopped the charade, the façade around humans. It was the interest that reminded me of the fact that he'd never seen the Cullens when they were stripped of their human tendencies, and now, just seconds after admitting that he knew what they were, he was. I smiled with happiness because… he was seeing what I saw every day… well, apart from the worried looks on their gorgeous faces. But he was seeing them, experiencing what it was like when they did not move, when they were on edge and deep in thought.

He was seeing their interactions with their mates, and though they did not move, they _were_ interacting with their mates. Each couple had perfectly synchronized breaths, their movements surrounding the other, influenced by their other half. Each male had his arm around his female, or their hands clasped together; they were all touching their mates, and as I had one myself, I could really appreciate it. It was a beautiful thing to see, especially knowing how old these couples were now… knowing that they'd been like this when they were newly mated. And knowing that that would still be Edward and I in fifty, one-hundred, or even a thousand years.

Edward, sensing my happiness, purred in my ear as he kissed my neck. I nuzzled my cheek against his as I continued to watch my father, waiting for the sign that he was uncomfortable. I giggled against Edward's neck when Dad swallowed and shuddered, his eyes falling on us. He watched us, a small smile on his face before his eyes locked on mine… desperate eyes that were screaming for help.

I cleared my throat, which in turn made every one of the Cullens look at me. I raised an eyebrow, my eyes darting to my father quickly and pointedly. Emmett and Emmett and Rosalie suppressed grins, though the rest of them—except Jasper, who was staring at my father in confusion—looked sheepishly but sweetly at me.

Carlisle was the first to speak. "And may I ask how you came to those conclusions? It's a very apt and specific guess, Charlie."

My father raised his eyebrow at Carlisle. "Are you saying it's not true?"

Carlisle grinned at him, obviously amused. "I'm not saying that, I just wanted to know—and I'm sure all of us are quite curious, too—how you guessed that."

Charlie grunted in his normal fashion and shrugged. "Put two and two together, it makes four… you know…" I giggled, shaking my head and he grinned as he looked at me before he turned back to Carlisle. "I mean, it's kind of easy when you put all the characteristics and all the things I've picked up on together. There's the cold, hard skin—like a corpse's—there's the weird eye color though none of you are related. Then there's the mating and living forever thing and the changing into an immortal part. It's just… I don't know; it was easy to put together once you were all out of the room and I was by myself."

I smiled, for some reason proud of my father. "Well, now that you know, I guess it's time for a little Q and A. So, Dad, ask away," I said, getting comfy in Edward's arms, my legs lying across his lap. My head and the rest of my body were leaning against his.

Dad blew out a breath as he thought for a moment. We all let him take his time and I even closed my eyes, feeling a little tired. The sound of Edward's breathing comforted me, as it was in time with my own, and rather than feel uncomfortable at the lack of heartbeat, I felt it to be normal. Just as I felt his cold, hard skin was normal, safe… I loved every part of him.

"This mating thing," Dad began and I opened my eyes to find that he was eyeing Edward and me. I sat up a little, thinking he was a little miffed, but Edward's arms around my waist, keeping me against him, told me he knew what I was thinking and that that was not the case. I settled back against my vampire, my eyes on Charlie.

"Yes, Dad?" I said, knowing that he was hesitating a little. "Don't worry about any questions you ask; seriously, it's fine."

He nodded, clearing his throat as he leaned forward. He looked into my eyes as he asked, "You explained it, but I got the idea that there were parts you left out. What are they?"

I smiled; my father sure did know how to read me. "I wasn't the one who told you, but I guess you can see that it's more than what Carlisle explained it to be." And it was easy to see how he came to that conclusion; every mated couple in this room was… entwined. It was easy to see that this connection was something more than just love… it was… it was built on love but, at the same time, it was so much more.

"There are three connections that vampire mating couples can feel, but most only feel two," I began, leaning forward a little. I turned in Edward's lap so that my back was against his chest, his arms wrapped around me from behind. "There's the physical connection, the emotional connection, and the mental connection. The physical connection is the one that every couple has, but it depends on the couple whether they have either the emotional or mental connection."

For the next half an hour, perhaps, I explained to my father—with help from Edward and Carlisle, of course—what we knew of the connection between Edward and I. We told him everything that Eleazar said, other than the gifts part, and Dad lapped it all up eagerly. He was so enthusiastic to hear and learn more that my heart softened as my worries and fears slipped away.

My father was embracing this… and it was good. It… it felt right. My worries about my father fell away and I was so happy that he was embracing this part of my life. It felt… it felt like he was embracing _me_… something that my mother had never bothered to do… that hardly anyone had ever done.

But then Charlie asked about what he'd noticed lately—about how close we were—and I knew he could sense—hell, it was fucking obvious! I was surprised that no one else had picked up on it—that something was wrong… especially the wolves and Jacob.

I sighed, slumping against Edward, who immediately tightened his arms around me, squeezing to show his support. "That's what we don't know, Dad. We just know from evidence of similar occurrences in other couples that something is coming… but we have no idea what. And each day our connection strengthens and this… this what_ever_-it-fucking-is gets worse."

My hands fell to my lap and I swallowed, wanting the anger to just swallow me whole. Not knowing what was coming was starting to weigh down on me and I'd be damned if I didn't admit how scared I was. My heart, soul, body, and mind _clenched_at the thought of losing Edward, or being forced into some sort of separation from him.

I knew that my body wouldn't be able to handle that. But at the same time, I was sure we would… I was sure that our connection was somehow preparing us for a separation of some sort, making sure we're able to withstand—in some way—whatever is to come. It was making us stronger… I could _feel_that. I could _feel_myself becoming stronger and stronger by the day, even though I was becoming dependent on Edward.

It was just _what_was coming that was puzzling me.

Dad looked between Edward and I before sighing, throwing his hands up in the air. "I don't know what it could be. Certainly, it's not your mother. I can't imagine what she'd have to do with this and I'm sure she doesn't know anything about this. She never cared… so why would she now? But you've told me about this… this Volturi or whatever it's called, but… I just… do you think it could be them?"

His big statement and question stopped me cold. I froze in Edward's arms, my nails suddenly clawing at Edward's arms as I started to shake. A broken whimper left my mouth before I tried to take in calm, deep breaths… which turned into staggered ones fucking quickly. I gripped Edward's arms, shaking and quivering and shuffling in his arms, needing to get closer to him. But I was at a loss as to know how.

Edward seemed to understand that, and before I could blink, before I could understand what was happening, I was facing him. Our foreheads pressed together, he looked into my eyes, his own dark and determined, fierce in their protectiveness. My hitching heaves of breath did not calm as I looked into his eyes and his eyes widened, brow creasing as he tried to blindly think of ways to calm me.

"Gr-growl," I forced out, clenching my eyes closed. My world moved then but I couldn't figure out what was going on. I tried to reach for Edward, but all of a sudden he wasn't there. I gasped as I felt literal, cold, bleak, _harsh_pain in my chest. My hand flew to my chest, pressing hard as if to press against the pain, to eliminate it. All the while, I searched for him, gripping at the air, fisting it uselessly. It was blindsiding, this pain, but then it faded some; enough for me to acknowledge that it was still there, but enough that it wasn't at the forefront of my mind.

Finding Edward, however, was.

Finally, I found something, and when the pain lessened even more, I knew that it was Edward. I gripped it, unsure of what part of him it was but it felt like it was his arm.

"Bella?" Edward whimpered. His hand wrapped around my own as he searched my eyes and I fought against the pain, forcing my eyelids back so I could see his gorgeous face.

"Edward… you… I… can't… growl… need…" I tried to speak, but all that came out were disjointed words. If I was capable of calming down enough to rationally feel anger and not panic, I would have growled in frustration. As it was, I couldn't do anything but whimper, clench my eyes closed, and fist his hair tightly.

I needed something, I realized. And I wasn't talking about Edward's growl. I meant… God, I wasn't even sure what I meant. I wasn't sure of anything at this point, but I looked into Edward's eyes—the only part of him… or anything… that I could see—pleading with him to do something as another wave of pain cut through my chest like a sharp-edged knife.

I screamed. I screamed bloody murder, choking as my throat closed up. I tried to open my eyes, to search for Edward, seeking more comfort than I had ever needed, but I just couldn't do it.

I didn't have the strength for anything anymore.

The pain tore at me again and I gripped what I was sure was Edward's shoulders this time. My head felt like it was about explode, my body shaking forcefully, but I couldn't fucking _do_anything! I vaguely heard the tearing of fabric and Edward's voice calling Carlisle's name, but then there was nothing else.

Unable to fight, unable to stop it, I sunk into a deep unconsciousness.

~O~

The first thing I felt was that I was laying on something very comfortable. The first thing I knew was that Edward was in the room. The first thing I heard was Edward's voice. The second thing I heard was Carlisle's. The third was my father's and the fourth was Alice's.

Edward was anxious… to say the least. Carlisle was trying to be soothing but was otherwise worried. Charlie was panicking, unsure of what the fuck was going on and Alice… Alice was being hounded for answers, quickly getting pissed.

When she told Edward off, I wasn't sure if I wanted to growl at her or laugh at Edward. But as I moved to open my mouth, I heard Edward gasp, and in the next second, Edward's body was pressed against mine. I knew this because the electricity between us tingled and sharpened, as if senses were slowly starting to work again.

I felt a wave of strength and I rolled into Edward's arms. I was sure then that I was on my bed because there was no other part of the house that was one: this comfortable, and two: this big. My fingers clenched, digging into Edward's impenetrable skin, and I whimpered, needing to be closer. I opened my eyes, which landed immediately on his lick-able jaw.

I bit my lip, the memory of that gut-wrenching, fearful pain making my heart clench and tears well in my eyes. But that also brought forward a question that I needed an answer to, and my lips formed the words and dispelled them before I could stop myself.

"What happened?"

It was a rasping, broken whisper that would always notify others that whoever spoke like that needed water. And I did; my throat felt so dry then that it was almost like swallowing sand and I swallowed over and over. Edward, whose face I could now see properly, glanced over my head, behind me to someone I could not see, and the next thing I could see over my shoulder was a glass of water.

I hummed and smiled, reaching for it but my hand was shaking. I saw Edward frown, biting the inside of his cheek as he tried to tone down his reaction to the sight but I noticed. My hand wrapped around his left, which was still holding the cup, and instead of trying to take it from him, I tugged softly. Edward grinned down at me, seeing what I wanted, and slowly brought the cup to my lips. Our eyes were only for each other as I drank from the cup.

When it was empty, Edward handed it back to whoever had given it to him before looking at me and sighing. He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but the words just wouldn't form, stuck in his throat. He swallowed, frowning in almost pain as his piercing eyes connected once again with mine for a single, fleeting moment.

"I'm sorry," was what he said in a broken whisper and I frowned, looking at him, watching him, thoroughly confused.

"What?" I whispered, looking into his eyes. I swallowed. "What are you sorry for?" I asked, shaking my head as if to clear it so I could try to make sense of his response. It made no sense. Edward had done nothing wrong, nothing at all.

He sighed again, his arms wrapping around my waist. He sat me up on the bed and, for once, I didn't move to straddle him. His arms stayed wrapped around my waist, but he didn't look at me. He glanced over my head at someone and, a few moments later, I heard the sound of our bedroom door closing quietly.

"Edward… what's wrong?" I whispered again, shuffling closer. Even now, with the pain gone, the shadow of it had me craving more of him, craving closer. My eyes closed as I found just a small relief, and a sigh of contentment left my open mouth.

He leaned his forehead against mine, closing his eyes, squeezing them shut. "I let go of you and you started having a panic attack, combined with our connection playing havoc. For just one second, I let go of you. That is why you felt that pain… that is why you screamed and you could not find me. It sent you into a panic, and even when I was touching you again, it was too late." His voice changed to anger, but it was self-hatred, self-disgust… all against himself. That both worried and upset me, but I let him continue. "I let go of you for one second and this is what happens. It's… it… it's scaring me, Bella. This whole situation is getting out of hand and I don't like it. I want nothing more than to be alone with you right now, to protect you and keep you safe, happy… but it… this is getting too much, Bella. I think we need to call in some help."

My eyes flew open and I searched his eyes, frowning. "What do you mean? What help?"

He smiled vaguely, weakly. "Calm down, love. I just mean that I think we should enlist the help of someone who knows this situation and our connection better."

"Eleazar?" I asked, sitting up, not taking my eyes off Edward. "You want to bring Eleazar down here?" This was just great. This was just the thing I needed: to be faced with Tanya and her snobby sisters. But then again, I could see why Eleazar was needed and it aggravated me. So, though I understood the situation completely, I couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

"Because Eleazar is the only one who knows about our connection and the limitations and what could possibly be happening us, short of Marcus. And because I won't have you near _them_." The last word was spit out, growled out like a curse, and I knew immediately who he was speaking of.

It still disgusted us that the Volturi masters, Aro and Caius, were responsible for their brother's current situation. It was them that forced Marcus into a life that was without his mate, and because they had taken away his mate—the one with whom he shared the same connection as Edward and I—Marcus was a shell of his former self.

He was empty while they showed no remorse.

And it was all because of their thirst for power.

"I don't want to be near them," I whispered, wrapping my arms around Edward's neck again and pulling myself up onto his lap. He sighed, leaning his forehead against mine, winding his arms around my waist, our breaths in perfect sync. "But I don't want to be around Tanya, either. I don't think I can handle that right now, Edward; I don't think I can handle having to see anyone want you like that."

"Then we'll simply ask Eleazar to come down alone," he said softly and I snorted.

"There're two things wrong with that, Edward. One: do you really think Tanya would pay attention? You know she'd come down anyway just to stir up trouble, regardless of her apology, and two… to take Eleazar away from his mate to help with our connection?" I sighed, looking down before I mumbled, "That doesn't feel right, Edward."

Edward thought for a moment before grinning up at me. "So we invite him and Carmen down. We tell them that your father is here and that we'd rather the girls didn't come down. Love, they'll understand."

I looked up into his eyes, sighing. "Ok. Yeah, we'll do that a little later. Is, uh… is Dad ok?"

Edward smiled. His eyes were soft and kind, understanding, and when he spoke, his voice was the same; effortless. I could feel myself relaxing just from the sound... Or perhaps it was the purring growl that was making his chest slightly vibrate: _my_growl. "He was worried, my sweet love, because he didn't know what was going on, but I wasn't the one that spoke to him. Esme took him aside while Carlisle and I were attending to you." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I was scared out of my mind about you," he whispered, swallowing as his thumb swiped lightly across my lip. "I didn't know what was wrong… you were just screaming. Occasionally it was my name, but the whole time you were clutching at your chest… and I had no idea how to help you."

I settled into his arms, straddling him and resting my head on his chest. "All I needed—all I will ever need—is you, Edward."

He purred, and I felt his smile when he kissed my forehead.

We were silent for a while. It was comforting and soothing, everything we needed. After so much drama that had been all we'd lived today, it was the one thing that we needed. It allowed us to just… be, something that we hadn't been able to do for a while. With the whole altercation with Jacob and then telling Dad and that stupid separation thing they'd forced upon us today…

And now this.

Then again, I was filled with questions. Questions and worries, troubling ones that just needed answers, but I wasn't ready to ask them. I just wanted to be silent for a while longer. Right now I just wanted to revel in the fact that I was with Edward, alone. I just wanted to be in Edward's arms… and I was. I was in Edward's arms, my head on his chest and my eyes closed. Feeling every inch of our bodies touching was magical, and while it would never be enough, it was… _good_, satisfying. It felt… right.

Finally, with the question bursting to my lips, only to be knocked back by my mind, I finally gave in. Resting my chin right over where his non-beating heart is, I looked into his eyes and whispered, "What are we going to do?"

Edward looked into my eyes for a moment before sighing and looking away. "I don't know."

"We can't go on like this," I said, worry edging its way into my tone. "There's no way we can be together every second of everyday. It's just… not possible."

Edward looked into my eyes. "We will find away. There is a way… we just haven't found it. We're already in every class together as it is."

"Yes, we are," I said, "but we're not sitting next to each other in every class. In most, I admit, we are but there are some where we're on the other side of the room, and as we've seen today, that's not ok anymore. Not with this… this whatever this is that's coming our way!"

I was getting angrier and more hysterical by the minute, but fuck it, I couldn't help it! This was real. This was serious and it was happening to _us_. I just wasn't sure if we'd be ok or not… and I had no idea how we'd get through it during school. Yes, we'd be taking the next few days off school to get accustomed to this problem, but we couldn't do that forever. If we did… my father would get in trouble and my mother would be notified.

Just the thought of my mother coming here… finding me with Edward and this whole new family scared the ever living shit out of me. My mother had certain rules and expectations that I was to live by, and I wasn't joking when I'd sung in that song that I was breaking all of them.

Rule number one… the most important of all: no boyfriends.

Oops.

"Bella, we can talk to the school–" Edward began, but I was having none of it. I sat up, my hands pushing down on his chest to support myself as I replied.

"And say what?" I nearly yelled, my voice drastically rising in volume by the second. The fear and anger that was directed at my mother for not letting me live my own life—the ones that had always been buried there so deep, never allowed to be released—were taking over me and I was reacting sharply.

I had the perfect life here. I was perfectly happy here. I wasn't willing to give that up. Not for anything… and especially not for my fucking bitch of a selfish mother.

"Bella and Edward cannot physically be apart even by mere centimeters because of a supernatural connection that they share. Oh, and Edward's a vampire! But don't worry, he doesn't fucking _eat_ people!"

Ok, so now I was shouting… but fuck! I couldn't help it. I was breaking down; all the walls that I'd constructed to keep away the feelings of that time before Edward, when I lived with my mother, were coming back. The walls were breaking.

Edward sat up and I melted into his open arms. I was shaking as I huddled into him, needing his guidance and him; just him. That's all I needed, all I wanted. Tears welled in my eyes, a lump forming in my throat and I tried to breathe correctly but I couldn't. Uneven, panicky, hitching breaths left me and they were so strong that my chest heaved and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Calm, my dear love," Edward said, knowing just what I needed. He growled my growl and it resonated, filling the room with the amount of power and control that made it so easy to just lose myself in him and forget the shit that was now unbound and haunting me. "Everything is all right. We will sort it out. We will discuss this with Eleazar. We will discuss our worries and fears with him. He will come to our aid... I know he will, my sweet."

I nodded and breathed in his scent—deep, dragging inhales—and moments later, I was so relaxed that my limbs felt like jelly. I looked up at Edward, wrapping my arms and legs around him as he began to stand up. "Let's go out there, baby. I think they're waiting for us and I really want to talk to Dad, to make sure he's alright. When I woke up, my one thought was you. I'm a little better now and it's time I talked to Dad… to clear the air. Let's go talk to the others and then call Eleazar, the sooner the better. Plus, we need to talk to him about Jacob. It's not just supernaturally that we can take action against him, and I think it would be good if we got Dad to get a restraining order. That way, if Jacob approaches me, then we can call the police and he'll be locked up for a while." I looked up at Edward's pensive face. "It's worth a shot, right?"

He shrugged, smiling down at me. "Whatever you think, my beautiful mate. It is up to you if you want to do that. He is your father, so it is completely your decision."

I smiled up at him, biting my lip, my cheeks burning as I flushed red tomato. "But do you think it's a good idea?"

He looked at me and sent me his beautiful, sexy crooked grin before nodding. "Yes, I do. Not only would it help with the situation, but it will relieve us of at least some of the stress: you, your father… me." He thought for a second more before frowning. "It may upset the Quileutes, though, and your father's relationship with Billy."

I shook my head. "Dad doesn't trust them anymore… especially not after everything that's gone on and what Billy and Jacob said and what I told you both. I don't think he sees the possibility of even reconciling that relationship. Even if it does upset them… there's nothing they can do about it."

He nodded. "You are right, my sweet girl, but I am just worried about how those of the pack will react as well. I believe they thought your father to be their only way in to force us apart."

I glared, my eyes narrowing, but it wasn't directed at Edward; a fact that he thankfully knew. "Fuck them. Seriously, their opinions on our relationship and this situation don't matter. We're not breaking any of their rules and they fucking know it; it's part of the reason why they're so pissed, I'll bet!"

Edward smiled sweetly at me, calming some of my ire. "I know. Do not worry, my sweet, it will all be dealt with." He stood up then, holding his hand out for me while the other ensured that we were still touching, our fingertips grazing against each other. I smiled up at him, looking into his beautiful, loving… _dark_eyes. "I love you… I love you with everything that I am and I will be damned if I let anyone come between us or try to separate us. I will not allow it."

I nodded, swallowing as I took his hand, the other dropping to my side. Edward pulled me into his side, wrapping his arm around my waist, and I did the same. I relaxed into his side as we slowly started to walk toward the door. Edward opened it for us and we walked through together, stubbornly not letting go of each other—any part of each other.

As soon as we looked up, we saw our family. The Cullens and my father were all sitting there, and when my eyes closed in on Charlie, I could see that he was looking a little… well, to be honest, sick. I frowned and was about to rush over to him, but Edward's arm tightened around my waist and my eyes flashed up to his face. A moment of silent communication passed through us as our eyes connected, and I knew he wanted me to be careful. The last thing we needed was for another one of those episodes to happen, and the only way to stop it was to stick with each other.

I smiled up at him and laid my head against his chest, looking at my father. "Dad, are you ok?" I asked, biting my lip, worrying it as I observed him.

He took a deep breath before swallowing. "To be honest, Bells, I'm worried about you. That… what just happened there… has that happened before today?"

Edward and I glanced at each other, thinking for a moment. I looked back at my father and shrugged. "Not really. It's not supposed to happen—as in, it's not a part of our connection that happens frequently, and when our connection isn't… under strain, I suppose, but, because our connection has… I dunno, _seen_something coming, our connection has been playing up. So… it's certain that if we're not touching each other at all times until this thing passes, it will happen."

Charlie sighed and said nothing more for a few minutes. Then he looked back up at me and asked, "Are you ok?" His eyes studied me, too, and I smiled.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm ok," I said softly, tugging on Edward's arm. He chuckled, kissing my forehead and we quickly walked over to the couch nearest my father, in sync. "But there is something that we want to talk to you about. I mean, we want to talk to all of you, but, Dad, this is something we really need your help on."

"What?" he asked gruffly, sitting up straighter as he frowned. His eyes shifted between Edward and me and I laughed.

"Calm down," I reprimanded gently. "We just want you to help us get a restraining order against Jacob. We know it probably won't do much, but I think it would make us all feel somewhat better about the situation."

Charlie looked at me, nodding thoughtfully. "That's a good idea. I just wish we didn't have to do it. I know Billy's gonna be on my ass about it," he said, smiling wryly. "How far do you think you want the restraining order to go out to? I don't want him anywhere near the house, especially since I work late. Even if Edward is going to be there, I'd rather there was a firm radius that would cover the street."

I smiled at him softly. Charlie was a man of few words, so to hear him speak, and speak passionately, about something—about me—was heart-warming. "Thank you, Daddy… but I don't think that'll make a difference. Jacob is hell-bent on getting me. He's cracked enough to think that I'm his, and if I know what he's thinking, then he's willing to do anything to get me… to force me to submit."

Edward growled, his arms tightening around me. "You're mine. I won't let him touch you. He's too dangerous, and now that I know you've experienced just how dangerous he is _personally_, I'll never let him hurt you again."

I swallowed back the worry and fear that ran through my form at his words. I looked down, my lips parting as I breathed in a deep breath. "I know, baby, I know you'll protect me. Just… just don't let him hurt you, ok?"

Edward's cheek was against mine then and I closed my eyes. "He will not. I can swear that to you."

I nodded, taking a deep breath again, feeling a little better already.

Dad, who'd obviously been watching us, stood up. I looked up at him and he smiled down at me. "All right, kiddo. I think I'll go to the station and get those papers sorted, ok?"

I nodded. "Yeah, Dad. Um… do you wanna come over for dinner?"

He smiled, nodding slowly. "Yeah, that would be great. You know I can't cook," he said wryly and we both laughed. "I love ya, Bells," he said, kissing my forehead quickly before he looked at Edward. He raised an eyebrow and Edward nodded, reaching out to shake his hand. "That'll take some getting used to," I heard him mutter and I giggled, biting my lip.

Soon, Dad was gone, having bid farewell to everyone in just a few minutes. I sat on Edward's lap in our lounge room, watching Charlie as he walked out, and I breathed out a breath of relief when the door closed.

I looked at Edward, who was watching me, and said, "Thank god that's over."

He smiled and was just about to say something when he froze. At the same time, I heard Alice gasp and the glass that she'd been holding—of water for me, though I hadn't asked for it—slipped from her hand.

It was then that I _knew_something was wrong… because vampires don't drop glasses, and if they do… their reflexes are fast enough for them to catch it.

But… Alice…

Alice was frozen, her eyes wide as she stared at Edward and me in sheer, panicking horror.

* * *

><p><strong>So... how was that?<strong>

**Yes, I know, another cliff-hanger... I'm sorry. But you'll find out what Alice saw... or rather, didn't see... *clues* next chapter when we skip forward a few days to Eleazar's arrival. Yes, there'll be a flashback of them calling to ask him to come over and probably another that goes right after this but we really need to push things along! Do we agree?**

**Oh and it's official: no more new stories until a few are finished. I'm hoping to finish my drabble "Love Knows No Bounds" soon. Other than that, I'm not really sure. :)**

**That's it, guys! Remember to follow me on twitter for exclusive photos and some other stuff that'll let you know how I'm going with stories and any ideas I have. It'll be pretty exclusive stuff!**

**Please review and I'll see you in three weeks!**

**bexie25**


	22. Weakening

**Hello**

**To start off with, I'd like to apologise for not updating on the 30****th**** of last month as I was supposed to. I had exams and though I thought I'd be able to write the chapter ages before the chapter was originally due, every time I sat down in front of this very word document, I grew frustrated and had to rewrite everything… a million times. Thankfully, yesterday was a good day and I got all the inspiration I needed.**

**I know I said there'd be flashbacks, but given the fact that the next chapter is due next week and since I've mapped out the next chapter, I think those flashbacks would better suit the next chapter. Hopefully, you'll see why.**

**I also promise that next chapter will be longer. I've a little pressed for time and quite busy in the fanfiction world. I've got a one-shot of mine due on the 25****th**** for the Countdown to Christmas – posted on Breath-of-Twilight's account – another chapter of this story due as I said before and a fellow writer to help out… and more on that right the fuck now. ;)**

**Her pen-name is Team Edward Rules All and her story is called **_**A Work of Fiction**_**.**

**Summary: ****Summary: After another hideous date, twenty-one year old writer Bella Swan decides to create her perfect man in the form of words. She never dreamed that the next morning, she'd wake up to find him in her apartment. And what's even stranger is that he believes he's known her for years.**

**Link: ****fanfiction dot net / s / 8577059 / 6 /**

**It updates once a week. Please read it and review.**

**And that's it from me… up here, at least.**

*******A/N: 22/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*******

**Read, review, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Dad, are you sure you want to come?" I asked over the phone, leaning my head back against Edward's chest as I closed my eyes. The soft blanket he'd insisted was wrapped around me felt like heaven, but I needed Edward to balance the temperature out. If my sweet overprotective vampire hadn't been watching me like a hawk, I would have boiled to the point of fucking insanity.<p>

I, of course, was blaming all of this on the fact that our connections had grown to new heights the night Dad found out about the world of vampires. The craziness—tenacious annoyances and whirlwind occurrences—of that day had all taken their toll on my body and it grew weak to the point where I was now actually physically sick.

And, of course, that freaked Edward out all the more.

When I shot out of the bed and ran to the bathroom with Edward right on my heels, only to be sick, my love had been the most scared I'd ever seen him.

The sound of my father sighing over the phone broke me from my thoughts and I listened carefully. "_Yes, Bella, I want to come and see you and meet these… people."_Had I not been so nervous, the sound of my father stuttering over such a word in relation to vampires would have made me laugh. However, before I could say anything, he cleared his throat and gruffly continued; from the sound of his voice, I knew he was embarrassed. "_Besides, I'm not turning back now—if anything, this road is too narrow and I'm already past the half-way mark."_

I bit my lip, worried. Not only was Dad going to meet vampires from another family, but he was stubbornly convinced that he'd find the house just fine without help. I wasn't exactly confident on that fact, but then I remembered that I was just as stubborn as he was—if not more—and there was no use in trying to deter him. It would make no difference.

Edward's fingers trailed up my arm in a soothing, slow pace and I had to press my lips together for a moment so I didn't moan—that was hardly something my own damned father needed to hear. Talk about fucking mortifying.

Thinking that my lack of response meant something else entirely, Dad spoke again. _"Bells, you know everything's gonna be fine, right? Because it will, honey. Your Edward won't let anything happen to me… or you."_

In the background, I could hear the tires of Dad's cruiser as he made the sharp turn into the drive and I knew he was here—or rather, nearly here. I sighed again. "I know that, Dad," I said softly, "I really do, and that's not what I'm worried about. I just… my relationship with the Denali sisters is tense at best; a main part of that being because of the nature of vampire mating couples and how possessive and protective they are. I just don't want you around that—I don't want you to see me like that, Dad."

The words of that last sentence were whispered and they rang through the air with a silence that was slightly awkward and definitely daunting. I'd just admitted to the fact that I was a possessive creature when it came to my Edward—not that Charlie didn't know that already; he'd fucking witnessed it—and it was true when I said that I was god-awful afraid that Dad would judge me based on those actions.

The worst part? I had no control over my actions whatsoever; when it came to my Edward, I mostly relied on instinct—especially in the presence of three succubi, one of which wanted him more than she'd ever wanted any other man.

I _hated_it.

Dad sighed over the phone. "_Bella, you know I could never blame you for or judge that side of you; never. It's not in my nature. And besides, you are my_daughter_. I don't care what happens, but if they give you hell or do anything, then I obviously expect you to give them that same hell back. It's how you work; you're stubborn, loving, and caring and fiercely protective. I wouldn't expect anything less, Bells."_

By the end of his passionate little speech, I was bawling. The fact that my dad was so sure that he'd accept that instinctive part of me was so beyond me that my mind was left reeling at the mere _thought_of his acceptance.

Edward chuckled lowly behind me and took the phone from me as I burrowed into him. He pressed his lips to my temple as he lifted the phone to his ear. "Charlie? Hi, it's Edward. Yes, sir, she's fine… just a little emotional. Of course, sir, come on up. No, they're not here yet but everyone from our family is. Alright… yes, sir… ok, bye."

He hung up and pulled me closer into his arms, whispering sweet nothings in an attempt to calm me down. I burrowed into him, my fingers clenched around the fabric of his shirt, which was rapidly soiling because of my tears. My emotions and reactions to anything were all out of control because of our connections; the slightest thing would make me collapse into tears.

Or just generally collapse, given the fact that anything major exhausted me pretty fucking quickly and has done so since Sunday. Because of this, Edward and I hadn't been going to school; it was Wednesday now, and with Carlisle, Esme, and Charlie in agreement, we wouldn't be going for the rest of the week.

The past few days had been both heaven and hell combined; Edward and I were all alone, but I was slowly getting worse, and Alice's vision on Sunday—the one that had her staring at Edward and me in horror—only confirmed that.

_Alice blinked in the same moment that Jasper flitted to her side. He pulled her into his arms and gripped her elbows, making her look him in the eye. "Alice, darlin', what's wrong? What'd you see?"_

_She shook her head and Edward growled, the force of it making me shake and my teeth chatter. Edward tightened his arms around me, his head moving so quickly it was a blur as he leaned down. His nose grazed against my neck as he inhaled deep gulps of my scent._

"_Bella gets worse… and then I can't see her or Edward at all."_

"My beautiful mate, your father's at the door. The rest of our family is upstairs; they don't want to make Charlie nervous," Edward murmured, pulling me from the horrifying memory. I breathed in deeply through my mouth, my fingers digging into the skin of his arms—well, as much as they could, anyway—as I looked up at him and nodded calmly.

He gathered me in his arms, standing up quickly and completely gracefully. He held me just a little longer before sighing, and a moment later, my feet were sliding down to the ground. The blanket was still wrapped around my arms and upper body and I was sure that I was blushing when Edward began to purr. He leaned in to brush his nose against my cheekbone and jaw. I closed my eyes for a minute, sighing as tension left me completely.

"Come, love," he said softly, his breath hitting my skin, making me hum and smile. "We don't want to keep your father waiting."

"If he's at the door, Edward," I said, "then why hasn't the doorbell rang?"

He smirked down at me and cocked his head to the side in a way of showing that he was waiting for it to ring. Not even a second later, it did.

"There it is," he said, his silken voice definitely affecting me as he walked backwards, slowly and somehow _seductively_dragging me to the door. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer as he reached out for the door handle, turning it.

The door opened and there stood my father in plain clothes; he was wearing dark blue jeans with a black belt, hiking boots, and a black, short-sleeved top under a plaid red and white long-sleeved button-down that he left open. I smiled when I saw him and, keeping my hand in Edward's, I reached forward for a one-armed hug.

"Hi, Dad," I whispered in his ear, placing a kiss on his cheek before I leaned back and into Edward's awaiting arm.

"Hi, Bells," he said and I watched as he tried to keep his eyes from looking at Edward's arm around my waist. He smiled awkwardly at Edward and nodded. "Edward."

"Hi, sir," Edward said and I smiled up at him briefly. He smiled back down at me, his finger pressing against my hip bone now, rubbing slow, lazy circles, relaxing me further. "Thank you very much for coming. You have no idea how happy it makes my Bella and, in turn, me."

Charlie nodded and smiled at him a little hesitantly as I flushed crimson. Edward purred lowly in my ear and I was glad Dad couldn't hear it. I lolled against Edward, yawning as a sudden exhaustion came over me. I fought to keep my eyes open as my back began to ache again, my body all weak and out of whack.

"Bells, are you ok, honey?" Dad asked and I paused for a moment, panicking just a little. While we'd told my father that, as a result of our connections, my health had taken a turn for the worst, we hadn't told him to what extent exactly.

I cleared my throat and forced my eyelids back. My eyes immediately landed on Dad's concerned face and my heart clenched. "Um… yeah, I'm fine, Dad. Nothing to worry about." _Much_, my mind amended. He raised his eyebrow at me and I flushed again, this red blending in with the last. "Well, it's not that bad," I amended again.

The sound he made in response was both noncommittal and unimpressed. Thankfully, however, we left it at that, inviting him into the house before quickly leading him into the lounge room.

"I am sorry, Charlie, but I believe it would be best if Bella was lying down," Edward said, but only I could hear his frantic, worrying nature brewing behind the calm. "She's a little weak at the moment."

Charlie nodded, watching Edward and I with interest. Edward immediately pulled me over to the couch we'd previously been lying on and he sat down at one end, pulling me down with him so my legs were resting on his thighs. His hand, too, was in mine as my father sat down on the edge of the couch closest to my head.

"So, how bad is it? Really?" Dad asked, looking to Edward now and I knew he was looking for an honest answer.

Edward sighed, and the worry evident in his features made him look older than the seventeen years he was frozen at. He looked down at me, his brow creased as he rubbed circles on my hand. "She vomits and is really very tired all the time, no matter how much rest she has had. I am not sure, but Alice predicts that she will soon need to be restricted to bed rest."

"And?" Dad asked, his protectiveness of me as endearing as it was heartbreaking. "What about after that? What's the solution? How do we… stop it from getting any worse?"

"By eliminating whatever the threat is that is hanging above our heads," Edward said frankly, rubbing the palm of his right hand over his face—something he did when overwhelmed by strong emotions. "Whatever is causing all three of our connections to play up and cause a ruckus, that is what we must eliminate; we are sure of that. Only then will we be ok and only then will Bella become stronger."

"It'll happen," I said softly but strongly. "We'll make sure it does."

Edward looked into my eyes for a moment, the love, sorrow and fear pulling the strings in my heart to a painful degree. But he nodded after a few moments and my hand squeezed his as hard as I could, only for me to groan when that simple movement drew strength from me. It was as if whenever we did something that affected our connections, it made me weaker. I could only imagine that the reason behind it was that our connections were working so hard to prepare us for this upcoming event.

I made a mental note to ask Carlisle about that the next time I saw him.

"Bella, love, can you hear me?" Edward's voice broke through my deep thoughts suddenly, something I half-realized he'd had to do a lot lately. "Sweetheart, please… do something; tell me you can hear me, my love. Please."

I cleared my throat—or at least, I tried to—and forced my eyelids back so I could look into my mate's gorgeous eyes and stop his worrying. My eyesight was blurry for a few seconds, but I blinked twice and was suddenly met with the perfect image of Edward's face, inches away from mine.

"Sorry, baby," I whispered, smiling faintly. He smiled back, but his smile, too, was faint. "I think the connections are taking my strength away when we do something—even small—that's associated with it. Like just now, I could feel and see your worry and pain, so I comforted you by squeezing your hand and, well, I guess the connections made me pay." He frowned, so I explained what I meant by that. "I felt weaker after I squeezed your hand." He was still frowning but he nodded, squeezing my hand this time and I was glad to see that, since I was the human in this relationship, the physical problems were only mine to deal with.

Dad cleared his throat and I blushed, to which Edward chuckled, as we both looked over at him. He was watching us both, chuckling to himself at my embarrassment, and I could see the happiness in his eyes. I smiled to myself, glad he accepted Edward for _who_ he was rather than shunning him for _what_ he was.

"If you two are quite finished…?" he asked, leaving that statement up in the air. I nodded and rested my head back down on the pillow, looking at my father, though my mind was gnawing at me, wanting to see Edward and study his gorgeous face again.

"Sorry," I whispered sheepishly.

He chuckled, "Just messin' with you, kid." He looked around the room, scouring it for something, and his eyes landed on the stairs just on the other side of the living room door that led up to the second floor.

Edward spoke then, and I immediately knew that he was answering a silent question of my father's. "Yes, Charlie. They're upstairs. They wanted to leave the three of us some time together before the Denalis arrive."

Dad nodded. "So, will it be as bad for all of them as well?" he asked and I looked at Edward, feeling a little confused. His eyes were downcast, but from the careful concentration embedded in them, I understood immediately what my father had meant.

"Not so much, no," he said, looking at me, his other hand trailing up from my calf to my hand, which he grabbed and held softly. "It's partially due to the fact that Bella and I are newly mated and, therefore, our protective and possessive instincts are at a higher level. With time they will gradually calm until we are as resilient as the rest of the family is now. However, I would say that it is mostly hard for us because of the events that happened both before our mating and during the Denali clan's first visit afterwards."

I looked to my father, finally understanding what he meant. My eyes flashed to Edward and he nodded, knowing immediately what I wanted. I smiled in thanks, turning my attention to my father. "Dad, before I was even born, Tanya was after my Edward." The possessive feelings I always felt at the mere mention of that asinine bitch were returning, but I forced them down. "Edward declined, many times in fact, but she persisted and tried to win for his attention. When she heard that he had finally found the one he was meant for, his mate, she didn't believe it and she made the Denalis come down so she could investigate." I sighed, pausing. I still had terrible feelings toward her, even after her apology, because of what she'd done during her stay. "Dad, she was very… forthcoming and relentless during her stay. She rivalled for his affections and wouldn't give up until I finally lost it. I shouted at her and made sure she knew that Edward is mine and only mine because he damned well is and that bitch isn't getting anything of him."

The last sentence was practically growled out in my anger, my jaw setting as I seethed. I looked at Edward with fire in my eyes and he calmly squeezed both my hands, taking the reins. "Yours, love, I am yours completely, utterly and irrevocably… I do not want anyone else, human, vampire, or of any other species; just you," he said, reaching out to cup my cheek and I leaned into his touch, loving the spark of electricity that ran through us.

I nodded, gripping his hands as I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to eradicate my need to claim him. Logically, I knew he was mine—he showed me so repeatedly—but my instincts were another powerful matter.

"And I'm yours," I whispered.

He smiled and kissed my forehead before pulling back. "They're here," he said and in a glimpse, the Cullens were down the stairs and standing in the room. Each male had their arm wrapped around their mate, and as I pulled myself up to sit on Edward's lap, Edward and I relaxed into the same formation.

I smiled at Dad. "The Denalis are coming, Dad. Edward can hear their minds."

"They'll be at the door and the bell will ring in exactly two minutes," Alice said certainly, looking at Charlie and smiling. He smiled back before awkwardly looking away, out the window that looked on to the forest.

I breathed in deeply, thankful that Edward was right there. Anxiety was slowly seeping into my being and I didn't like it. I looked up at Edward and he smiled, hugging me closer. He leaned down and whispered, "I can hear Tanya's thoughts, my love. Everything will be fine."

I frowned. "Does she still want you?"

He smiled softly. "Yes, my sweet," he said and the anger came back. He hushed me, cupping both my cheeks as he placed a firm kiss to my lips. "Everything will be fine, my love. You are mine and I am yours; she is insignificant."

I huffed. "I know that, baby; I just wish she would take the fucking hint."

Edward growled, his eyes seeping further into darkness. He'd hunted just yesterday, close enough in his worry that there was no pain. His brothers had brought him his favorite and he'd drunk from it right outside the door. He still promised we'd try hunting, but he insisted that the time was only when I was better and not a moment before.

I could live with that.

Edward rubbed his cheek against mine and I exhaled against his neck, both in pleasure and as a way of claiming him. I placed a kiss to his neck, flicking my tongue against it, and he purred, quickly doing the same to me.

"Thirty seconds," Alice said and Jasper's head buried into her neck as he quickly scented her. I looked around quickly and realized that all the couples were claiming each other in various, non-sexual or obvious ways.

I also looked at my father, hoping this wasn't freaking him out, and was ever so pleased to see that he was looking out the window.

By now, we could hear the cars as the tires squealed, the brakes obviously having been slammed on. I stiffened slightly in Edward's arms as I felt a growl rumble in his chest, and I knew that whatever Tanya was thinking bothered him. I pulled back and looked into his eyes, hoping to calm him by even a small margin. He nodded in thanks as I felt him relaxing against me and not a moment later, the doorbell rang.

My fingers dug into Edward's shirt at his shoulder blades though I hadn't been aware that I was clinging to him. My head snapped around to his face and I let him see my distress as Carlisle and Esme moved to the door to greet our guests. Edward's face crumpled at the sight of my worry and he cupped my cheeks, leaning down to press his forehead against mine. Our eyes were only for each other and I could feel my heart as it beat rapidly, each pang nearly painful and I knew Edward could feel it. He put his hand on my chest, just where my heart was beating under the skin, and the coolness of his hand calmed me somewhat.

Looking into his eyes made me forget that egotistical, frumpy-in-personality bitch and the fact that she was at the door, being greeted by my vampire parents; it made me forget everything but him and me and the electric current that was always between the two of us. My breaths matched Edward, his hand on my back rubbing rhythmically up and down, each touch like an electric shock, heating me up.

And then the spell was broken by none other than Tanya Denali.

"Eddie, Isabetha, hi," she said, her tone perfectly fake and it did not escape my attention that she'd intentionally said the wrong name when addressing me. I blinked, not moving as I wrapped myself further around Edward and he closed his eyes, his forehead still against mine. I smiled, knowing exactly what he was trying to do, but Tanya took it well—surprisingly—only to turn to my fucking father.

Immediately, I was filled with rage and I made to get up and do something rash, but Edward's hands stopped me. He looked at me and from that single look, I knew everything would be fine, and so I turned to watch my father and Tanya.

"And who's this lovely, handsome-looking gentleman?" Tanya purred, slinking to my father, on whom she placed a hand. It slithered from his abdomen all the way up to his chest as she nearly wrapped herself completely around him.

I snorted. _Whore_.

I could see that she was trying to use her powers on my father and my hands, which were gripping Edward, tightened in anger as I breathed in deeply, swallowing the rest of my anger. I looked to my father for his reaction, but he merely blinked and looked up at her. "I'm Isabella's father. And you'd be Tanya, I suppose."

She blinked in surprise and I could almost hear her enraged thoughts as she smiled widely, showing off her perfect, white, and lethal set of teeth. "That I am; has your daughter told you about me?"

He chuckled. "Oh, yes. And believe me, it's nothing to be proud of... Now hands off me, woman," he said and then he shook her off.

I had to bite my lip to stop the laughter as Tanya huffed and stalked away.

Emmett guffawed loudly and when Tanya hissed at him, he was even louder. "Guess you've lost your touch, Tan-Tan."

"Don't call me that," she growled out, nostrils flared in anger, her hands in fists at her sides.

Emmett lifted his hands as if defending himself and I chuckled. Tanya looked to me, but I only winked and she huffed again, walking over to the sofa on the far end of the room, sitting down roughly.

Taking a deep breath, I looked away from Edward and to the others in the room. My eyes found Carmen and Eleazar, who smiled and nodded wordlessly at me; I did the same back. The sisters were huddled together, Kate looking sick of Tanya's pathetic, attention-seeking antics while Irina was all over her, trying to console her.

I snorted; she and Tanya were just as bad as each other.

My eyes searched for my father and I smiled to see that he was eyeing the Denali sisters with scrutiny; he looked so much like a cop in that moment. It made me relax to see such a normal occurrence amidst all the drama, and I wasn't simply talking about the heinous bitch across the room. It made me glad that both sides of my life were blending into one.

"So," Eleazar started, leaning against the wall. His dark hair stood out against his pale skin and the white wall to an almost comedic degree. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Carlisle cleared his throat and I smiled; another human habit first forced and then made overtime. "Bella and Edward require your assistance, Eleazar."

Eleazar stood forward. "What type of assistance?"

"One that involves your knowledge of our connections," Edward interjected, looking to Carlisle for approval to take over. He nodded, stepping back, and Edward once again looked at Eleazar carefully. He raised his eyebrow. "And your discretion."

Eleazar nodded immediately, rubbing his hands together as if eager. "Of course, I would give nothing else to any of you; you are my cousins, my family. After all, as my saying goes: knowledge makes the difference between life and death."

I smiled, understanding his sentiments exactly, and his eyes darted to mine. "Please," I said softly, clearing my throat, "sit. It might take a while to explain everything."

He smiled at me. "Isabella, you know vampires don't need to sit; we can stand for hours perfectly content."

I chuckled, "Humor me."

He sat down, pulling his wife and mate close to him. He nodded to us, giving us the go ahead, and Edward wound his arms around me, pulling me up and onto his lap. And then he told our tale, from the dancing class and our reactions to the idiot instructors, right up to my recent sickness. Edward explained, in detail, the problems that we'd had, not sparing even the smallest, most minute detail.

When he was finished, Eleazar scrutinized us and eyed us closely. I pretended not to notice as my hands slithered up Edward's arms and wrapped around his neck. I used all my strength to keep them there, laying my head on his chest, closing my eyes as a sudden weakness came over me again. Edward wrapped his arms around me and I felt the muscles in his arms and most of his body tense with stress. He swallowed, his head moving carefully and slowly, and in the next second, I could hear Carlisle's voice right in my ear.

"Bella, we're just going up to my office, all right?" he said to me, but I could not answer. He must've turned his head, because when he called for Eleazar and Charlie to join, his voice didn't sound as loud as before.

I felt myself being lifted but, despite that, I felt perfectly safe in Edward's strong arms. My arms tightened around his neck as I grimaced in discomfort.

Edward reacted instinctively, immediately.

"Bella, my love?" he asked, and I could hear his panic; it only made me grimace more. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't and then the worst thing happened.

"Bathroom," I mumbled, pressing my mouth into his shirt. "Bathroom, now, Edward."

He immediately understood, and I could feel that he was just about to flit to the very place I'd asked him to take me to when he was stopped. "Do not, Tanya," Edward said, his tone like a serrated-edged knife, cutting easily through even the thickest of steel. "Or I will let my mate have at you, and believe me, she is quite willing."

She snorted, "Edward, baby, she's too weak to take me on."

I could hear from just his tone that his eyebrow was cocked dangerously and I really wished I could see the sexy sight, but the growling words he produced were enough. "Perhaps, Tanya, for now. But make no mistake that my darling spitfire won't be in this sort of predicament forever, and when she isn't, I'll let her at you."

And then we were nearly flying out of the room, leaving a sure-to-be-fuming Tanya and our laughing siblings and snickering parents behind.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter pretty much wrote itself… all the way to end. Next chapter will hopefully be up on time, but if not, it'll only be late by a couple of days.<strong>

**I don't really have much to say down here. Just please remember to check out **_**A Work of Fiction **_**and review this chapter.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**bexie25**


	23. A Shocking Conversation

**Hello everyone!**

**Welcome the next chapter of A Choice. Sorry it's a week late, but I was quite busy as those who have me on FB know.**

**I laughed and most, if not all, your reviews. Normally, I would just shake my head and smirk, saying something like "maybe, maybe not" whilst mentally thinking "haha!" because I know something you don't, but…**

**No. Bella isn't pregnant.**

**There, I've said it. And I have to tell you that in **_**this **_**one, she won't be. In the sequel… well, the reaction I explained up the top is exactly what I'm doing now.**

**;)**

**Urgh! Do you know that part of the reason why this is late is because I actually lost the chapter? Yep, that's right. I had about one third of it written and I lost it all. I've searched every-fucking-where and it's nowhere. But I like this one way more – it's straight to the point, factual and… well, just read it.**

**Also, I wanted this out as soon as it was done, so apart from making sure all lose ends were tied together and there were no obvious, embarrassing mistakes… expect some.**

*******A/N: 22/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*******

**See you down the bottom!**

* * *

><p>I wiped my mouth with the towel Edward had given me, sneaking glances at my mate. He was leaning against the basin counter, watching me with a crooked grin on his face. His hair was askew, messy, and untamable, and my hands twitched, wanting to run themselves through his hair and tug on it harshly. My breath hitched as Edward swallowed, a low purr emanating from his chest under my gaze and I had to grip the counter as I looked down.<p>

The electricity between us was thick. It pulsed in a way that made my core clench and my lips dry and just one look in Edward's direction had me practically panting for him. And believe me, I was feeling conflicted; as much as we really needed Eleazar's information and help, I really just wanted to jump Edward and have my wicked way with him.

Edward must've sensed it because that purring sound grew louder. Before I knew it, Edward's arms were around me and his lips were pressed against mine. I moaned into his mouth when I felt his tongue slide across my bottom lip, making it tingle from the electricity and his venom. I groaned and, within a second, his tongue was exploring my mouth with wild abandon.

I couldn't take it anymore, so I wrapped my legs around his waist and hoisted myself up. I knew we couldn't do anything, but who said I couldn't make out with my mate properly? I smirked against his lips when he growled and pressed his hard, throbbing length against me, but when it twitched and my clit throbbed, I whimpered.

"Bella, we can't, my love," he whispered against my lips, breaking the kiss. Our eyes closed as we pressed our foreheads together, panting and breathless. "As much as we both want it—and believe me, my beautiful mate, I truly do—we cannot do this. Your father, my father, and Eleazar are waiting for us in Carlisle's office."

I nearly pouted, but decided against it. Knowing Edward's weakness, it wouldn't get us anywhere. I released him and he helped me set my feet on the ground before immediately winding his arm around my waist. He pulled me toward the door, and after opening it and walking us through it, he threw me over his shoulder, smacking my ass softly but playfully. I squealed and smacked his, making him laugh as he used his natural speed to get to Carlisle's office.

He set me down in front of the door and made sure nothing was out of place and I didn't feel dizzy or anything. With a smile, he kissed me for but a moment on the lips then took my hand as he opened the door.

As soon as the others were visible in Carlisle's office, I became nervous. I pressed myself further into Edward, unconsciously seeking his comfort and he growled my growl softly in my ear as he led me to the closest, empty loveseat.

We sat down together and I tucked my feet up under my ass, my right arm—the one closest to Edward—wrapping around my stomach. I sighed deeply as Edward's mating call for me calmed my nerves and I leaned my head against his shoulder, increasing the electrical flow of the current that was always between us.

No one spoke for a minute, and if Edward hadn't been growling still to calm me, I would have tensed again. I peered up at the three men sitting opposite us and realized that they were waiting for us to speak, each of them looking eager. Instead of telling Edward that they were waiting for _us_, I took that moment to study each of them.

My dad was the first. I could instantly pick up that he was interested because, while his eyes were hardly focused when he looked around the room, every few seconds he looked at Edward and I, his eyes shining with interest and unasked questions. He'd frown a little in concentration when he looked at Edward and me, trying, I was sure, to figure out what it was between us—between all mated couples, but especially us at this point in time—that was otherworldly. I knew and understood immediately that my father wanted answers, and I only hoped that he'd be comfortable enough to ask them.

Happy with my assessment, my eyes then shifted to Carlisle. He was watching Eleazar—who was watching us, making it increasingly hard to concentrate on anything else but that fact by the fucking minute—and studying him. From what I knew of Carlisle, though it was obvious, he was a stickler for information. His thirst for knowledge knew no bounds, and if there was something that he didn't know about, he wanted to research it 'til he did. From the way he was naturally—for his kind, at least—still, his eyes constantly focusing and not focusing, I could tell his mind was boggling, both with questions and with excitement for knowledge of the unknown.

My eyes then shifted to Eleazar, but there was no need to study him for I knew exactly what he wanted to know. Before I could really read into his body language, he spoke, his hands clasped together tightly. "Right, so, Edward, I imagine there is something important you wished to discuss."

Edward looked at him for a moment. "Yes, Eleazar, there is. It is about something that has come to our family's attention as of late."

"Regarding?" he asked, but I was sure he knew because his eyes immediately shifted to me.

Edward seemed to ignore his question… sort of… when he answered. "Eleazar, we require your council on a rather delicate issue," Edward said, pressing his lips to the skin of my neck for just a moment. "However, please consider that this is hard for my mate and me. It is something very close to us, as I'm sure you could imagine, and there may be questionable reactions that we cannot explain at this point in time. I am sorry for that."

He smiled and nodded. "I understand that, Edward. Thank you."

Edward nodded, his arms tightening around my waist. "We not only require your guidance, but your discretion as well, Eleazar. As I said, some of what we shall tell you is very private to my mate and I, and I will not stand to have my Bella embarrassed or her dignity broken in any way possible." He looked pointedly at Eleazar.

Eleazar seemed to understand what Edward was saying completely, even what he wasn't actually saying. He nodded, smiled, and obviously sent a thought to Edward because, a moment later, I felt him nod.

"Of course," he said, pausing for a moment with his lips pursed. He looked over at us again with a small frown on his face, just a small change in the set of his mouth. "But it is imperative that I have all the information available."

For the next half an hour to forty-five minutes, we discussed everything that had happened since the Denali coven's last visit. He was silent for the most part, letting Edward explain everything, and I only interrupted when I thought something needed to be added. Because we could feel each other's emotions quite well through the emotional connection, there was no need for us both to speak. Even then, after we explained that, Eleazar asked me every now and then how I felt about different situations.

It was only really when we got up to what happened at Dad's when Jacob was there that I started getting a little uneasy. Memories of that night, of the things said and the feelings felt when Edward and I were separated and he was fighting Jacob came back to me and I began to shake. Edward stopped mid-sentence when he felt that, turning his full attention on me. He pulled me onto his lap, wrapped his arms around me tightly, and rubbed his cheek against mine as he growled my growl, the one that was for only me. I gradually calmed down from his ministrations, breathing in his scent in deep, full pulls of air.

"Sorry," I rasped as soon as I could speak again. I closed my eyes and whimpered into Edward's chest, the hand gripping his chest tightening again to the point of pain. Edward nuzzled me, his cold hand slipping up to mine and he pried my hand away, curling his around it.

Knowing that I wouldn't be able to handle hearing any more of that night, Edward held me against his chest and his hand covered the ear that was not against his chest. In a low whisper, he resumed the story. I sighed and relaxed against his chest, closing my eyes and focusing on the sound of his breath and his arms around me. While he spoke, his fingers softly stroked my arm, lulling me into a peacefulness only Edward could make me feel.

I could tell when Edward was finished, because he turned his attention once again on me. His hands rubbed up and down my arms and he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Sweet girl, we are finished now."

I opened my eyes and stretched a little, having not realized how close I'd been to nodding off. I cracked my neck and looked up at everyone, blushing a little when I noticed them looking at me. I looked up at Edward, who immediately cupped my face in his hands and leaned down to steal a kiss.

"Are you alright now, my love?" he asked carefully and I nodded.

"Yeah, I am. Thanks," I said softly. I cleared my throat and looked at Eleazar. "So… what do we do now?"

He smiled at us. "Now that I know everything, little one, I would like to discuss what I picked up from the both of you and your connections. I realize that I didn't explain the full extent of… well, power during my last visit and I believe what I have to say shall put your minds at ease."

I sat forward in Edward's lap, very eager to hear what he had to say. Edward pulled me back a little with an almost silent chuckle which mirrored Eleazar's. Carlisle made no sound, but he seemed to be just as curious as me for he too sat forward, bracing his elbows on his thighs. Charlie looked confused, and I remembered that he had no idea what Eleazar was talking about.

"Edward," I said and he immediately looked down at me, a smile on his face. "Dad doesn't understand Eleazar's gift. Can you explain it to him? I don't really know what I'd say and since you know Eleazar well, you'd know better than I would anyway."

Edward took over for me when I looked up at him. "Charlie, Eleazar can read someone. He does not really focus on their thoughts as such, but generally the brain and mind, I suppose. He is able to detect a gift in that way. For instance, with Bella, he cannot get a read on her properly so he knows that she is a shield and that she is blocking his gift. Does that help?"

Dad merely grunted and nodded, making me smile.

Eleazar sat forward and rubbed the palms of his hands over his mouth. He looked at each of us before taking a deep breath and beginning. "Perhaps I should explain a little more of your connections first." We nodded, signally for him to continue and he promptly did so. "When all three connections—that is, the emotional, the physical, and the mental connections—are combined, the power and the potency of the bond between the couple are exponentially more powerful as well. Your bond is precognitive; it can perceive dangers that you will face in the future and it prepares you for what is to come so you are at a level in which you can face these dilemmas without the side effects of any parts of your bond that usually would not allow you to do something or another."

He paused for a moment. I heard him sigh just as Edward tensed under me, a low growl building in his chest. Eleazar eyed him warily, but I placed my hand on my mate's chest in an effort to calm him. I nodded at Eleazar, and after watching Edward for a moment more, he continued. "From what I could pick up and the signs—for whatever the threat is, the methods in which the bond strengthens differs—the bond is preparing you for what I can only imagine is separation of some kind. Some time in what I would think the near future—that is, judging from how advanced the connection between the two of you is already—you will be separated for one reason or another."

It felt as if someone had stabbed me. As soon as he was finished saying those vile words, a deep pain in my chest grew and I cried out, hunching forward as my hand flew up to my chest. I would have fallen off the chair had it not been for Edward's cold and secure arms wrapped around my waist. I could feel him panicking as he pulled me back to him, turning me around in his arms. I felt so bad for him through the excruciating pain because I knew he was feeling the exact same thing, but was concentrating on me instead of it. I was comforted, however, by the knowledge that the pain was worse for me than for him because of my human, more fragile state.

I wasn't sure how I knew that, but it made it easier nonetheless.

I tried to take deep breaths, but every breath made it harder to concentrate as the pain increased. My hands, which were already gripping at Edward, clenched into fists as another harsher emotion took place within me, my mind beginning to race as I looked at Eleazar.

"This is strengthening?" I screeched, making the three vampires flinch and cringe. I vaguely registered that that was due to their enhanced hearing, but at the moment I didn't really give a damn. "This is not strengthening! This isn't strengthening at all—the bond strengthening for our separation, that's bullshit—bull-motherfucking-shit!" Though my speech was becoming increasingly vulgar with every word, the anger was actually tampering down. The anger completely dissipated as Edward's mating call for me calmed me completely and I melted into his form. I gasped, immediately feeling terribly remorseful for what I'd just said. "Oh, god, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean it!"

Carlisle chuckled, waving me off. "It's quite all right, Bella. I've heard worse."

"Oh, yeah," I chuckled breathlessly. "You know Emmett."

"Hey!" the obnoxious vampire in question boomed from two floors below, startling Charlie and making the rest of us—who were used to it—chuckle.

"Sorry, Emmett!" I shouted back with a grin on my face. In the next second, I heard the sound of what sounded like boulders rolling into one another, and I knew that Rosalie had smacked him on the back of the head. Idly, I wondered what for but, with a shiver of disgust, I determined I probably didn't want to know.

"Isabella?" Eleazar called softly and my head snapped back around, our eyes immediately connecting.

"Sorry."

He nodded. "That's all right. But we really do need to discuss this."

At the reminder of what Eleazar had said before, my throat tightened. Edward's arms wrapped around me a little tighter and he began to rock us both gently, but I couldn't focus on that. First thing was first, and I needed to know what Eleazar meant by 'separation'. "Eleazar, I am sorry for my outburst and I mean no disrespect, but I really do think that what you're saying is ridiculous. Why would we be separated?"

Eleazar's brow puckered and he looked down, his hands clasping. "I imagine it would have something to do with your safety."

I raised an eyebrow at him sarcastically. He really wasn't making sense, and I contested what he said immediately. "But the safest place for me is with Edward. He's my mate… he can protect me like no one else can. You're wrong, you have to be."

Eleazar looked thoughtful for a moment, but Carlisle interrupted. "Perhaps it is by the force of an undetermined party and perhaps that 'party' believes you are better off away from him, from us, than with."

_But Edward wouldn't let me go,_my mind responded, but I was unable to speak anymore as I began to tremble. Turning toward Edward with tears welling in my eyes and my breath hitching, I watched as his face crumbled at the sight of my anguish. "You wouldn't leave me, right? You can't. You can't leave me, Edward, please don't leave me."

Edward growled his special mating growl for me and I relaxed into his arms, the tension leaving my body. "Never," he said, so passionately he was growling. His eyes shone as he looked down at me and all I could do was listen. "I will never leave you. You are mine and I am yours; forever, Bella."

I nodded, inhaling shakily as I leaned back against him. I needed to feel him, feel the electricity, the pulse of our connections thrumming between us. I turned to Eleazar. "See? There's no way Edward could or ever would let someone else separate us. There's just no way."

He frowned. "Well, I am sorry, but that is the only conclusive outcome I can find given all the evidence laid before us." He looked at Carlisle, then Charlie, and then at me. "But perhaps there is a way that we can work through that."

Edward gasped, obviously picking up on what he wasn't saying out loud through his thoughts. He seemed excited as he smiled crookedly, leaning forward as much as he could, what with me sitting on his lap and everything. "Are you sure?"

Eleazar nodded firmly. "I am completely sure."

"How?" Edward asked. "Surely it is not possible… she is still human after all. How is it possible that her gift has manifested already?"

Eleazar chuckled. "I cannot give you an answer, Edward, but that is what I see."

"For those of us who don't read minds…?" I trailed off with a raised eyebrow, but smiled when I looked at my vampire again. He was so sweet, so adorable when he looked this animated and happy, interested. All I wanted to know was what was making him feel that way.

Edward laughed and smiled at me radiantly. "Sorry, my sweet love. Eleazar was just thinking that–"

Eleazar interrupted Edward and we turned our attention to him. He was peering at me inquisitively, but quickly began to speak when he realized everyone was waiting for him. "I'd like to work with your gift, Isabella. Perhaps if you could project it, it would be easier to discern what this 'threat' is. I also believe that if you can project, you will be able to protect your mate if need be."

I looked at him in confusion for a second before shaking my head. "But I'm human. Surely I couldn't do that."

He smiled kindly at me and shook his head in amusement. "Isabella, if you were unable to use your gift as a human then I would not be able to read it from you. And think about it. You're able to block Edward's gift, which means that your gift is already in action. That also means that I am able to pick it up from you. My gift only picks up _existing_gifts, not ones that will be accessible, I suppose, in the future."

I frowned. "But you were able to tell that I'd read minds when I was a vampire."

He smiled again, but shook his head in disagreement. "Yes, I said that; part of it was mostly because most mates, if not all mates—but especially those with your connection—are able to share gifts with their mate. A part of my mind registered that I was actually physically reading this from you but I disregarded it so I could focus on helping the two of you. But really, when I think about it, and considering the way in which my gift works… I'd say you are already able to read minds; you and your mate are just unaware of it."

I thought it over for a minute then sighed and hesitantly looked at him. "You really think that I can do all that as a human?"

He smiled softly, speaking just as softly. "Yes, I really do. And also, I believe we should work with your connections… see if we can enhance them or train them to do certain things. I want to see how far your connections have extended."

Edward frowned. "Is it not obvious?"

Eleazar smiled at him patiently. "What we see before us may not be the full extent of what your connections have become."

Carlisle looked at him and cleared his throat pointedly. "Perhaps we should begin with the training process of Bella's shield first?"

"Well, it is really up to Bella," Eleazar said. Immediately afterwards, Carlisle's and his eyes flashed to my face then back to each other so fast I thought I'd been imagining it for a second. "We have all week." Again, their eyes flashed over in my direction, but they held steady and I sighed.

Looking up at Edward, I bit my lip then shook my head with my eyes closed, trying to clear it. I blew out a huff of breath and then nodded. "Ok… let's do this."

~O~

Around ten minutes later, everyone was standing outside – and I mean, everyone. At the news that we'd try out my shield now, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie—plus the Denali sisters and Carmen—had decided to tag along.

We were standing in the middle of the woods, a little over a mile away from the Cullen house. Esme had insisted that we go somewhere far enough from the house that it wouldn't be damaged if I couldn't quite control it once I'd found it. I was trying to avoid the word 'shield' because this all just seemed preposterous. Surely I couldn't actually do what Eleazar thought I could…

I sighed to myself almost silently. I was glad no one had contested Edward's and my insistence that I be in his arms. I was already stressed enough and, as if that wasn't enough, I had no desire to feel the pain that would cripple the both of us as soon as we let go of each other.

Besides, if there was one thing I knew about this whole fuckery it was that I wasn't going to hurt my mate. I'd rather chop my body into little pieces _myself_than do that.

I looked over at the Denali sisters and snickered when I caught Tanya staring at her nails with a disgruntled expression on her face. She looked like the typical, dumb, itsy-bitsy girly-girl blonde who didn't want to get dirt on her clothes. I had to clamp my lips shut when I thought she was totally rockin' that look. She didn't have to try too hard, that was for sure.

"Bella, are you ready?" Eleazar asked and I looked at him then nodded. He smiled. "Excellent. Now I'd like you to close your eyes." I immediately did as he asked. "Feel around for your shield. See if you can pinpoint where it is and grab a hold of it. Search for the texture, the feel and imagine it stretching, expanding."

My frown deepened as I tried to concentrate and I had to admit that it was hard. I had no idea what I was doing and Eleazar seemed to understand that because he spoke again. "Relax, Bella. Stressing and tensing will not help you locate and work with your shield. The last thing we need is for you to be under so much strain that your body shuts down. Search for the color of your shield, Isabella, and remember to breathe deep, measured, calm breaths as you do so."

I nodded and did what he said, slowly breathing in as I racked my brain for 'it'. It was hard trying to pinpoint it, but after a moment, I did and I gasped.

This 'shield' was not what I had expected at all. It felt like a second skin. The texture was smooth and it felt nice, as if it really was a part of me. The most shocking part was how it made my skin tingle a little but not so much to annoy me… just enough for me to know it was there.

"Good, you've found it," Eleazar said softly. "Now see if you can grab a hold of it, Bella, and nod when you've got it."

I bit my lip, cocking my head to the side as I imagined grabbing it, seeing myself reaching up and grabbing it like I would the branch of a tree. I gripped it hard, feeling the weight of it on my mind. "Got it," I gritted out.

"Good work, Bella," he praised me and I smiled to myself. That simple distraction caused me to lose control of it for a moment and I grunted as I gripped it again, acknowledging it fully in my mind, and took hold of it. "Easy," he said smoothly, softly, and I relaxed again. "Now I want you to remember that, Bella. I want you to remember that feeling and how you took control of it." I nodded. "Now, Isabella, I'd like you to let it go and slowly open your eyes."

I pouted a little but was just about to do as he said when I felt something... heard something.

_Stupid little human… she isn't all that great after all… don't you wish you had a real woman, Edward?_

My eyes snapped open and I immediately searched for what had me feeling such rage. Part of me was concerned and a little worried as I realized that I was actually using Edward's gift. I wanted to know how it was possible, but as I heard another thought, all control left me. Suddenly, I knew exactly who I was looking for and, when I looked to the left, my eyes immediately landed on it.

Tanya.

She was looking at Edward, but when she caught me glaring at her, her eyes widened in shock. The shock was only there for about a second as her accelerated mind made the connection and she understood what was happening. I could sense the fear coming from her, but she tried to hide it when she smirked at me.

_Not so dumb after all… are you, little human?_

I growled at her, roaring as my shield flew out at her. She, too, flew back from the force of it and I crouched forward when she hit the tree she'd been standing in front of. She tried to struggle against the shield, to gain freedom against its confines, but it was no use. I smirked as I slowly stalked forward. I was vaguely away of the shouts from my family, but I paid them no mind.

All I could register was the anger—the _fury_—and the absolute possessiveness I was feeling. Edward was mine, and it was about time this fucking bitch knew it. When I reached her, my hand flew up to her throat and she made choking sounds as I trapped her against the tree by her neck, lifting her up off the ground. Again, some part of me realized that I probably shouldn't be able to do this but another realized that it wasn't the first time my anger with _her_ had made me do something that shouldn't be humanly possible.

"Still think I'm a little human, Tanya?" I spit. I lifted her further off the ground, crushing her into the tree as I glared up at her. She tried to speak and I smiled sweetly at her. "Huh? What was that? I can't hear you," I sang before I brought her back down to me so quickly it seemed to be a blur. "I think it's about time I taught you a lesson, don't you think?"

She didn't even try to speak, more focused on struggling as she tried to get out of my arms. But my shield was wrapped around her tightly and this was fucking important. I tsked at her, wagging a finger in front of her face. "You know, Tanya, I can't believe I actually thought you meant it when you apologized. I was such an idiot back then, thinking you did… I really should've just asked Edward. But he was too focused on _me,_his _mate,_" I emphasized, and she growled, screeching a little with anger. I tightened the hand around her neck and frowned. "No, no, Tanya. Hush now. No one wants to hear you speak."

I walked toward the house with her still trapped in my shield, hanging suspended from the ground. I smiled up at her and said, "You know, I've been trying to think of a way to get you to finally understand that he's not yours, he doesn't want to be, and we're perfectly happy without you, and I realized… I'd already written something on the subject, especially for you! So, how about it, eh? How 'bout a little game I like to call 'shut up and listen', hmm? Well, like it or not, honey, you don't have a choice."

Part of my mind, a very minor part, was shocked by this new, confident, and possessive me. While it was true that I'd felt this before, I'd never felt this extent of power before and it was quite bewildering. Here I was, a human, holding up a vampire and choking her.

Ridiculous.

Crazy.

But as we finally made it to the house, quickly entering it and reconvening in the lounge room, I realized all of this was real. I sat Tanya down on the couch, my shield still holding tight, and part of me realized that it wasn't even hard to do it right now—keep the shield up, that was.

But I gave myself over to the music when it began to play, and I smiled, opening my mouth, eyes solely on Tanya motherfucking Denali.

* * *

><p><strong>Cliffy, I know. I'm sorry. But just think – in two weeks exactly, you'll have the next chapter. ;)<strong>

**So how was that? Shocking, fun, good, fucking boring? Let me know in your reviews please.**

**I don't have much to say, but something else you could add in your reviews is theories? And what do you think will happen next?**

**Don't worry, it picks up straight where this leaves off. I promise.**

**Please review,**

**bexie25**


	24. Serenity

**Hello everyone!**

**First of all, thanks so much for all the reviews you gave the last chapter. It's now my most reviewed chapter of the story - and any other story of mine, as well. Also, because of a newcomer and all of you who reviewed, of course, we've hit the 400 mark! Again, many thanks!  
><strong>

**Now... this chapter. Well, this chapter's summary: the song, a little time jump of a few days, some alone time, hunting, bit of a lemon, and a mean cliffy. It's pretty much a transitional chapter.**

**Unfortunately, the chapter is a little short. It's 4, 890 something words. Not exactly the 5000 every chapter is supposed to be, but oh well. It needed to end where it did.**

**I think that's enough of me speaking - lord knows you all wanna read the chapter! Just keep in mind that there's an AN down the bottom that needs to be read, too!**

*******A/N: 22/8/2013– I am replacing chapters after they are edited by my beta, Chandrakanta. You won't get notifications of this, don't worry. In this process, I am changing all my Aussie spelling to American, since the characters are American. The wording of parts of Edward's dialogue will be changed to make it more mature and realistic. The meaning behind what he says will be the same; it will just be more formal is all. Nothing major will be changed.*******

**Read, review, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The quick, powerful beat of the drums coupled perfectly with the sound of the electric guitar. It was angry, fitting my emotions, and the words I was about to sing were bitingly sarcastic.<p>

I smirked and kept my eyes on Tanya as I sang the first verse.

_I'm in the business of misery,  
>Let's take it from the top.<br>She's got a body like an hourglass that's ticking like a clock.  
>It's a matter time before we all run out,<br>When I thought he was mine, she caught him by the mouth.  
>I waited eight long months,<br>She finally set him free.  
>I told I can't lie he was the only one for me.<br>Two weeks and we had caught on fire  
>She's got it out for me,<br>But I wear the biggest smile._

I smirked as I sang the world 'smile' sarcastically. I was still fuming, but this song was perfect and fucking blunt, making it easy to blow off steam and tell her what I really thought.

She growled, and it seemed like she was about to get up when Edward growled down at her, the anger apparent enough to make her cower into the seat. I raised an eyebrow, cocking my head to the side, and she whimpered as I continued with the chorus.

_Whoa, I never meant to brag  
>But I got him where I want him now.<br>Whoa, it was never my intention to brag  
>To steal it all away from you now.<br>But God does it feel so good,  
>'Cause I got him where I want him now.<br>And if you could then you know you would.  
>'Cause god it just feels so…<br>It just feels so good._

My eyes flashed to Edward and he was looking at me with midnight eyes that were usually reserved for the bedroom. I smirked at him and licked my lips quickly, relishing in the sound of his growl as I turned back to Tanya and began the brutal second verse with a smirk, walking towards her slowly.

_Second chances, they don't ever matter, people never change.  
>Once a whore, you're nothing more, I'm sorry, that'll never change.<em>

I smirked at her and gestured between the two of us as I sang the last part of the next line.

_And about forgiveness,_ _we're both supposed to have exchanged.  
>I'm sorry, honey, but I'm passing up, now look this way.<em>

I grabbed her chin at the word 'look', forcing her to look at me anyway as I sang the rest of the verse to her.

_Well there's a million other girls who do it just like you  
>Looking as innocent as possible to get to who they want and what they like<br>It's easy if you do it right  
>Well, I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!<em>

I sang that last line in her face, glaring into her eyes. She shifted uncomfortably and I knew she wanted out of this whole ordeal. I smirked and shook my head. _Sorry, Tan-Tan. No dice._And with that, I released her jaw and walked backwards as the music built up to the chorus.

_Whoa, I never meant to brag  
>But I got him where I want him now<br>Whoa, it was never my intention to brag  
>To steal it all away from you now<br>But god does it feel so good,  
><em>'_Cause I got him where I want him now.  
>And if you could then you know you would<br>_'_Cause good it just feels so…_

My eyes caught Edward's and for a moment—a few short seconds—my anger dissipated. I looked into his eyes as I trailed off, smiling at him lovingly as I sang the next line. His eyes melted me.

_It just feels so good._

I looked at Tanya then as I sang the next verse, wanting to get the message through her dumb-blonde head once and for all. It started off somewhat softly, but with each word, the sound of my voice got louder and harder as anger flooded through me again. And I wondered why I hadn't done this before.

_I watched his wildest dreams come true  
>Not one of them involving you<br>Just watch my wildest dreams come true  
>Not one of them involving<em>

The guitar solo rang out then and I let myself loose. I didn't care if I looked like a freak—I let the music guide me. I flipped my hair back over my head just as the last of the song was intended to be sung.

_Whoa I never meant to brag,  
>But I got him where I want him now<br>Whoa I never meant to brag  
>But I got him where I want him now<br>Whoa it was never my intention to brag  
>To steal it all away from you now<br>But god does it feel so good  
><em>'_Cause I got him where I want him now  
>And if you could then you know you would<br>Cause god it just feels so…_

I smiled slowly at her.

_It just feels so good._

~O~

The next few days, we did just as Edward and I had both wanted. We stayed together, in the cottage, and lived in our own bubble. I felt a little bad that we were denying our families and the nicer members of Edward's extended family our presence and company, but Edward and our connections reminded me of how much we really needed this time together.

It shocked me, actually. I hadn't realized how much we really needed to just _be_, to have time to ourselves, just the two of us, without any interruptions whatsoever. Without Tanya, the bimbos from school, Mike, Tyler, and all other annoyances, we were capable of being exactly who we needed and wanted to be: a mated pair consisting of a vampire and a human. And to be honest, I was actually feeling a lot better—_stronger_—now that we'd fixed our undivided attention on each other. I didn't feel as sick, or as weak, as I had just days before.

Just thinking back to when we'd made our decision made me smile. Even then, our bodies had been aching for some alone time.

"_We're not seeing her again," I said as Edward carried me to our cottage. I was still feeling a little strange, and while Eleazar and Carlisle had wanted to talk to me about what had happened, Edward had insisted that we go home. "I don't want you anywhere near her, Edward. You're mine."_

_Edward purred. He grabbed my hand and held it against his face, smiling blissfully as he began to slow a little. "I am yours, my love. And to be honest, I really do not want to be anywhere within that woman's proximity. In fact, for the next few days, I would rather be with you and you alone."_

_I giggled. His words were sufficient enough to calm me down completely, and my body automatically sagged against him. "I'm glad. I want nothing more… and if anyone has something to say about it, kidnap me for all I care."_

_Edward growled, pushing his legs to pump faster against the lush moss and grass beneath his feet. "Your wish is and always will be my command, my beautiful mate."_

_I giggled again and leaned forward to run my tongue against the shell of his ear before biting down. When he moaned, his chest rumbling, vibrating, I whispered, "Well then, run faster, baby."_

_And he did. With another growl, he pushed himself to run even faster and I focused my attention on trying to calm the both of us down. I didn't want quick and hard, I wanted soft and sweet. I wanted my sweet Edward, the one that spent his time worshipping me and making me feel like I was the only thing that mattered to him._

_He did._

Of course, the decision to have a few days to ourselves did not mean I'd forgotten the other responsibilities we had; there was still school going on without us, Jacob scheming and planning god knows what, my mother, my father… _Tanya_.

Let's not forget to add my mate's needs to the top of that list. Whenever I asked, Edward said he was perfectly fine in the hunting department, but I knew better. His eyes were coal black, and there were very visible purple bruises under his eyes. He wasn't ok, fine, or anything other than thirsty, but he was stalling because he was scared. Because we were unable to be separated at this time, I would have to accompany Edward as he hunted.

This obviously didn't sit well with him. Though my Edward and I both knew that he could never hurt me, there was some part of him that was still worried. He was thinking too much of my human qualities, and not enough about the simple, amazing fact that I was his mate and he could not hurt me.

When Friday came and went with little happening, I decided to put an end to it.

"Edward?" I asked quietly, my eyes still closed. My head was moving with Edward's chest as he breathed evenly in and out; it was the most soothing feeling and sound in the world.

"Yes, my sweet?" he mumbled and I kissed his chest, making him purr. I opened my eyes, breathing in and sighing contentedly as I looked into his.

"You need to hunt," I said, and immediately, he stiffened.

"No, I do not," he said persistently, but I raised an eyebrow and he sighed. "Yes, I do. I am afraid I am too hungry to function well. I should not have put it off," he said, looking into my eyes as a wave of panic washed through him. "But, my love, we cannot be apart."

"I know," I said softly, maneuvering so I was straddling him. He purred, then grunted, and looked into my eyes, his tongue sweeping across his bottom lip slowly. I leaned down, bracing myself over him with my hands on either side of his head, and I nibbled on his bottom lip for a few moments before pulling back. "So take me with you."

Edward frowned. "No," he said, adamantly shaking his head. "Love, I cannot do that; I cannot put you in harm's way."

I raised my eyebrow. "You wouldn't be."

"Yes, I would," Edward argued back and I huffed, sitting up and crossing my arms.

"Edward, you need to stop thinking of me as some pathetic little human," I said, tears welling in my eyes despite myself and I angrily thumbed them away. Edward, seeing and sensing my distress, growled and sat up. He knocked my hands gently out of the way, cradling my face in both of his hands.

"I do not think of you like that, Bella," he said strongly but soothingly, softly. Love was shining in his eyes as he continued. "You are not pathetic, my love… but you _are_human. I could easily kill you with just one–"

"No, you damned well couldn't!" I said angrily, my voice raising in both pitch and volume. "Edward, a few days ago, I tackled the bitch who wanted what was mine. Normally, she could have easily gotten out of my grasp, only for the fact that she couldn't because _I was too strong for her._ And it's not the first time, either. The last time she was here, using your room at the Cullen house and hanging her lingerie all over the place, I went downstairs and I slapped her—when I was _sick_—and she fell to the ground. My hand was perfectly fine, Edward, and you fucking know it."

I sighed, anger dissipated as I looked into his eyes. "Please. Please, baby. You need to hunt."

"I'm not leaving you here to feel the pain and to be unprotected," he said strongly, his eyes tortured and far away.

"Then don't leave me here," I said, exasperated. "Take me with you, sweetheart. It's the easiest and safest alternative. Besides, if you don't take me with you, you'll be in pain and I'll be damned if I let that happen… you'll put it off, I'll put it off… and the pain you're feeling now because of your thirst will worsen. Plus, I'm not gonna let you starve, so you are taking me with you. Either that or I'll call Alice and get her to help me follow you." He muttered under his breath something that was too low for me to hear, before he lifted his head and looked into my eyes. I raised an eyebrow and his brow puckered. "You agreed before…" I mumbled, ducking my head down.

Edward captured my chin with one single finger, slowly lifting my head so our eyes met. I looked into his eyes, pleading with him silently. I hated seeing him like this, so… pained and thirsty, suffering.

"And this is something you really want?" he asked softly. "Regardless of whether I needed to hunt or not, this is something you really want to experience?"

I blushed, averting my eyes, and looked down. "Yes," I mumbled. I blew out a breath. "I want to see you hunt, Edward… I always have."

I heard him sigh, and a moment later, I was pressed against his chest again, his lips at my ear. "Then I will do it. For you, I will do this."

I giggled, pulled back and, wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him with everything I had. He growled against my lips, flipped us over and swiftly entered me.

~O~

"Ok, so how are we doing this?" I asked Edward excitedly as he ran through the forest silently. I leant my head down on his shoulder and kissed his jaw.

He chuckled huskily, and I smirked to myself. "First of all, my sweet, I think it best you calm down a little. I will need to focus while I am hunting so I do not hurt you or cause something else to hurt you."

I huffed. "You won't hurt me. I'm your mate."

Edward purred. "Hmm, yes, you are. And I love you very, very much. That is why I am concerned, my love. If I were to accidently knock you over mid-hunt in the event that my prey was running away, I could crush you, shatter your bones… I could kill you," he uttered in a pained, hushed whisper.

I squeezed him as hard as I could and pressed a long, sweet kiss against his neck. "You won't," I breathed. "It's impossible, baby. But I understand that you just want me safe and, Edward, if you're not comfortable with this just say the word, ok? I don't ever want you to do something you don't wanna do."

Edward smiled and looked over his shoulder at me quickly before focusing on the road ahead again. "I know that, sweet love. I promise you. I am just concerned. You mean everything to me—you are my world. I do not want any harm coming your way. I am sure I am worrying over nothing. You are right—you are my mate. I could not hurt you—even by accident."

The rest of the run was silent, and only minutes later, we had arrived at our destination. I looked around as Edward lowered me to the ground, and when I still couldn't determine where we were, I looked to him for an answer.

He smiled. "I brought us up north, my love. Not too far away from home, but somewhat closer to the Canadian border. Are you cold?"

I shook my head, smiling. "No, I'm fine. So, what're we doing?"

He chuckled, shaking his head and I heard him mutter, "So eager, my sweet. The reason I stopped here was because I can smell a deer just a few yards to the west," he said, and he pointed in the direction. Gripping his hand tightly, I stood up on my tippy toes and leaned over, trying to get an eyeful of my vampire's prey.

It was large; larger than I had expected for I'd never seen one before in person. It seemed to be minding its own business, and because the wind was, as Edward had inadvertently stated, blowing its scent this way instead of ours in its, it was unaware of a predator such as Edward being so close.

My gaze on it broke when Edward stood between us, and I closed my eyes as he pulled me close. "For this, my love, I will have to relinquish physical contact. I am hoping that the proximity is enough to fend off any pain, or at least lessen it somewhat…"

I pressed a finger against his lips, opening my eyes and sliding them up to look at him reassuringly. "I'll be fine, Edward. You just focus on feeding, ok? Promise me."

He looked into my eyes for a moment, searching for something. He must have found it, for he sighed and nodded. "I promise."

I smiled at him and shoved at him playfully, giggling. "Go!"

He chuckled and kissed me hungrily before he turned around.

As soon as he did so, his stance changed. I watched him as he breathed in deeply, a low growl erupting from his chest, and within the blink of an eye, he was crouching. Slowly, he stalked forward, sneaking toward his prey and my heart rate picked up.

This had to be the sexiest thing I'd ever seen: Edward, stalking forward, about to make a kill; he was the true definition of the word predator. He oozed sexuality, confidence, and danger.

When he stopped, my breath hitched, my hands curling into fists. He looked over his shoulder and our eyes met for a moment. I swore that when they did, I broke out into a sweat or something. His eyes were black, and the two stand-out emotions I could see were a combination of lust for me and hunger for the blood of his prey. I licked my lips, closing my eyes when the tenor of a moan met my ears. I was so aroused now that I could barely think, but Edward really needed to fucking hunt.

I bit my lip and leaned back against the tree I was now standing against—not knowing that I had moved at all in the first place—and willed for Edward to just continue with his hunt and get over to me as soon as he could.

I heard it when Edward made the move to tackle his prey and opened my eyes just he released a domineering growl. I watched, mesmerized and beyond aroused, as he fought the deer for but a moment. He crushed it against the ground, holding it tightly so it couldn't move and bit into the deer's neck. The wind had picked up a little in the last few minutes, and a cold draft seemed to be sneaking forward slowly, but the temperature was high enough that I wasn't shivering from the cold just yet. However, I was shivering because of something else entirely.

When Edward was finished, he stood up, his head immediately spinning around to find my eyes. As soon as he did, his now-golden eyes darkened again within the blink of an eye as he took in my obviously aroused state. I could hear him muttering something, but for the life of me I couldn't concentrate on that right now.

He moved too quickly for me to comprehend. Within a flash, Edward was standing right in front of me, his coal black eyes piercing through right to my soul. Despite the fact that there was power practically radiating within his body as a result of his fresh hunt and instincts, he was gentle with me as he pulled me against him and leaned down to kiss me.

When our mouths collided, and our tongues met, the taste of blood was actually… appealing… arousing. I couldn't explain it, but instead of feeling disgust, I just wanted him more. I growled against his lips, broke apart and looked into his eyes as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself up against his body, wrapping my legs tightly around his waist.

He growled, and the next thing I heard was the sound of ripping fabric. I gasped when the cool air hit the skin of my upper body. My hands slithered up slightly to grasp Edward's hair and I tugged harshly, making him groan.

"Off," I mumbled against his lips. I didn't specify what, but Edward seemed to understand exactly what I wanted, for he removed the rest of our clothes… thankfully having the insight to not rip them into shreds as he had done with my top.

I whimpered at the feeling of skin on skin, and Edward replied with a needy whimper of his own. He pressed my back into the tree and leaned his forehead against mine, grabbing my outer thighs as he positioned his length and pressed forward into me. I moaned at the wonderful sensation of my mate filling me, and Edward seemed to be on the same page as he pulled back and slammed into me.

The first thing I could tell instantly was that this was very different to our normal rendezvous. This was instinctual, needy, yes, but it was also primal—more so than even our first time had been. Everything was about claiming, vampiric instincts, and pleasure as Edward pounded into me hard, but gently so I didn't break and I smiled; he really could never hurt me.

"Mine," I gasped out as I felt myself climbing toward that peak. "Edward, mine. _Mine_," I cried out and Edward grunted.

"Mine, Isabella," he growled, looking into my eyes as they connected. His eyes flickered down to my neck and I could see the muscles in his neck strain as he stopped himself from claiming me properly with the mating bite.

To be honest, I was struggling with the same thing. My eyes kept flickering to his neck as flashing images of me biting him right-fucking-there—against what had been his pulse point nearly a century ago—flooded through my mind. I bit down on my lip and tried to force the images out of my mind, but that wasn't working.

So I kissed him. I kissed Edward hard, forcing his lips to separate and his cool breath to mingle with mine as I thrust my tongue into his mouth. He groaned and kissed me back with everything he could give me, his thrusts becoming harsher as the rhythm he had built began to fall apart.

He was near coming. I could feel it. And so was I. His length swelled within me and only seconds later he released a guttural roar, his head falling back as his lips ripped from mine, when he came.

His thumb pressed against my clit, making it throb, and the combination of that and his own throbbing length within me made me come, too. I cried out his name, my fingers digging into his hair hard enough to make my fingers hurt.

"I love you," he breathed against my lips a few minutes later after we'd calmed down. He was now dressed in his jeans and shoes, while I was dressed in my jeans, my shoes, and his shirt. My own shirt—one that I'd quite liked, actually—was lying in tatters on the ground. It was some sort of amusing elephant in the room, although this wasn't the first time Edward had ripped an article of clothing.

Not that I was mad or anything. It was just fun to tease him about it.

I chuckled breathily. "I love you, too, Edward. But you still ripped my shirt."

He laughed. "Sorry, my beautiful mate. I was a little preoccupied at that point in time."

I raised an eyebrow. "I noticed."

"Come, sweetheart, let's go home," he said warmly and I melted when his golden eyes smoldered, effectively dazzling me. His hand reached for mine and, wordlessly, I took it. He picked me up bridal style and quickly ran us back to our cottage.

Once we got there, we stripped again and got into the shower. This time, unlike most other occurrences, it was a purely innocent affair that consisted of us merely washing the dirt—and in Edward's case, blood—off our bodies, and from our faces and hair.

"Love, turn around please," he said. There was mostly humor in his eyes, for he wanted to wash my back for me, and I was protesting half-heartedly just to tease him again. I knew he wanted to touch me, but there was something in his eyes that made me think this wasn't all for fun and games.

And so, once I'd picked that up, I turned around in his arms wordlessly. As soon as he could see my back, my suspicions were confirmed as the sound of his shocked and slightly horrified gasp met my ears. I frowned and looked over my shoulder, but could see nothing but shock and horror in his eyes.

"Edward, baby, what is it?" I asked him calmly. I was sure it was nothing.

He simply shook his head, lifting his right hand and the tips of his fingers traced down my skin. When they touched a particular _painful_spot, I gasped and flinched against my will. Edward growled and pressed a kiss to my shoulder blade before he dropped to his knees.

"Oh, my sweet, beautiful girl, I am sorry," he whispered, and then he looked into my eyes.

I frowned. "Edward, what's on my back?"

"You are bleeding a little," he said, ignoring the question. "It must have been from the tree, sweet girl. Honestly, love, I did not notice."

I'd already figured it would be scratches, but honestly, it was no big deal. It wasn't that uncommon for even relationships of two _humans_to injure themselves during sex. It wasn't unacceptable that a man escape with a few scratches on his back after sex now, was it? This should've been no different.

But I knew my Edward. He was blaming himself because there was blood and because there might be a little pain, but there really wasn't much of either in all honesty. Edward was just overreacting as my sweet, loving mate usually did when it came to me.

I turned around and crouched down, careful to brace my hands on his shoulders to avoid slipping. "Edward, I'm perfectly fine. I didn't even know there were scratches on my back, and to be perfectly honest, I don't fucking care. Now answer just one question for me, ok?"

He nodded, but I could still see guilt in his eyes.

"Ok. So, when two humans have sex, it's ok that they might develop bruises, right?" He nodded. "Ok, good. And… when a woman scratches her lover's back during sex, that's all right?" Again, he nodded. "Well then, what's the matter here? If it's acceptable in human relationships, it should be in ours, too."

And with that, the discussion was dropped as Edward conceded and nodded. He told me that he knew what I meant and that the thought of causing me pain or me being in pain anyway—regardless of who made me feel that way and for what reason—was just uncomfortable for him. Abhorrent was the word he used.

Once we were squeaky clean, we got out of the shower, and Edward pampered me when he wrapped a towel around his waist before grabbing one for me and wrapping it around my body. He then lifted me in his arms and laid me down on our bed just as the phone rang.

There was something in me that knew something was wrong, that whatever news the person on the other line would give wasn't going to be good. I looked up at Edward and just the expression on his face told me he was thinking the same thing. He took my hand in his and reached out for the phone.

It stopped ringing immediately and there was a brief second of silence before Edward spoke. "Hello?"

"_Edward_," I heard my father say and I gasped, looking at Edward. I couldn't help but wonder why my father was calling because I was sure everything was ok with him. Unless…

No.

But before I could speak my fears, Edward spoke again. "Is there something wrong, Charlie?" He looked into my eyes as his jaw locked, and he leaned forward to kiss my forehead. My breath hitched and I tried to swallow back the lump in my throat as I willed the tears welling in my eyes to not fall.

But my father's next words proved that impossible. "_It's Renée. Bells's mother_."

* * *

><p><strong>I know. You hate me. I know.<strong>

**I'm sorry. But I bet you weren't expecting that, were you? What does Renee want?**

**You'll find all that out next chapter. :)**

**Now, to some other news: I am on facebook and I have a group for A Choice that I want you all to join! The group provides all readers with a place they can find sneak peeks, pictures, and discuss the latest chapter... any theories you might have...**

**It's a bunch of fun!**

**Now, here's the links...**

**You can find me (and befriend me) on facebook.**

**Link: /**

**There's also a facebook group for A Choice that anyone and everyone can join for teasers, pics (posted by me or anyone else) and to ask questions, share and discuss theories.**

**Link: / groups / 118639404965906 /**

**If fanfic fucks this up, you can also find the links on my profile ;)**

**Please review and I'll see you in three weeks - A Choice is now officially all caught up!**

**bexie25**


	25. When All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1

**Hi...?**

**First of all, Happy belated Christmas and New Year, LOL! **

**Now for the serious shit…**

**I can't even tell you how sorry I am. I have been freaking out so badly about how much I've failed you, and the fact that this writers block that I had was the worst it's EVER been. **

**I also can't tell you how many times I've started this chapter. Three separate times… all of which have been meshed into one.**

**A bit of some news:**

**1. I have two facebook groups: A Choice and Bexie25 Fanfics. Please join.**

**Links**

**A Choice: **facebook dot com / groups / 118639404965906 /

**Bexie25 Fanfics: **facebook dot com / groups / 327932867322639 /

**2. I have a beta now, and she goes by the pen-name Chandrakanta. She's fuckawesome because she's helped me more than you could ever know with this chapter. I sent it to her when it was still unfinished and she beta'd it, gave suggestions on how to continue, and told me that it wasn't the absolute piece of shit I thought it was. She gave me the strength to carry on. Thank you Chandrakanta!**

**As I say below, I want to let you know that I'm back. I haven't much to say, but this chapter (Chapter 23, When All Hell Breaks Loose) will be posted in two parts on here and in the PDF, it'll be combined as one chapter as it should be.**

**Please enjoy this chapter. I hope it's enough to make up for my absence.**

**Read, review, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>As soon as I heard my mother's name from my father's lips, that was it. I looked into Edward's eyes, memorizing every feature of his face, just as he seemed to be doing with me. I could hear his gorgeous voice speaking in a low murmur to my father, but could not for the life of me comprehend what he was saying.<p>

The first thing that happened was just a small second of… nothingness. And in that glimpse of a second, everything clicked into place. What was it that Eleazar had said? An unknown party that would think we were better off separated.

Of course it was my mother.

She would evoke her rights as the parent who had custody of me. My father never had, my mother convincing him otherwise and now I knew why.

Because, in the back of her mind, she knew there would be a day where I would be happy here. And she didn't want that. She didn't want anyone happy but for it to be me… it was as if that caused her possible death. It was the one thing in life that she seemed to _have _to make sure _didn't _happen.

Of course it was my mother!

And then, that small second passed, and my mind became frenzied, fraught with panic and fear. It was all I could feel, think and be. Scared and panicked. I was afraid that I would lose Edward, that my mother was coming here with the knowledge of my boyfriend—a forbidden person in my life, according to her—and take me away.

I was terrified of the pain we would feel if we were separated, but then I remembered what Eleazar and Carlisle had said… that our connection was preparing us for something… preparing us for separation?

One of them surely said that. Probably Eleazar.

I couldn't possibly tell anyone if he did or not. My thoughts were too unclear.

I could not speak. I could not think. I could not breathe.

And just as I thought those words, I looked into Edward's eyes. His brow furrowed and he looked at me for a moment before he stretched his body out, completely over mine. His lips were at my ear, his cheek against my cheek as he purred. His hands skimmed my sides before they wrapped around my waist and before I could blink, he was on his back, and I was lying on his chest.

It was then that I realized I was crying. I watched as tears fell from my eyes, and onto his pale skin. His eyes communicated so many things—pain, sorrow, worry, fear, and… determination and love.

It mesmerized me and so I simply, wordlessly, looked into Edward's eyes. My hands clenched into fists, my eyes wide as I searched his face for something. He looked at me, not even releasing a breath before he leaned in and kissed my forehead. He shifted slightly and I gasped, grabbing onto his arm with both of my hands. I looked into his eyes desperately, pleading silently…

_Don't go._

His gaze softened instantly, and a soft, calming growl—my growl—resounded through him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him and I clambered into his lap, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck as I rested my head on his chest.

The growl, his arms around me, and the way he hushed me told me what I had already known. He wasn't going to leave me; he loved me and needed me just as I loved and needed him. I calmed, my arms around his neck loosening just a little and I finally felt the result of my panic in my shoulders; the muscles protested and I grunted at the dull ache that was now present.

"Everything will be ok, my dear one," Edward purred softly in my ear, making me look up at him. "I love you."

I smiled up at him, swallowing back the lump in my throat and willing the tears in my eyes to go away. "I love you. I trust you."

He smiled. "I know, and I am forever grateful." With that, he lifted the phone back to his ear and I closed my eyes as I leaned back against him to listen to the conversation. I quickly realized, though, that Edward must have turned down the volume, because I could no longer hear what my father said. I would have been angry, but I trusted Edward, and I knew that he wouldn't keep anything from me; he just wanted to be able to tell me calmly himself, just the two of us. "Hello, Charlie… yes, everything is fine. Yes, thank you, that would be much appreciated. Has she arrived? Even better. Thank you. We shall be there shortly. Is half an hour agreeable? Good. Thank you. Yes… yes… of course… Yes, I agree. That is a good idea. However, perhaps the others should be close by? Alright, that is fine. Yes, we will see you then. Goodbye, sir."

Edward pressed a button on the phone, making it beep. He then looked into my eyes as he gently threw the phone onto the bed. It landed with a mute thud and was promptly forgotten as he grasped my face in his hands, holding it as if I were made of the finest china, as if I were the most precious thing to him in the world.

And I knew that I was. It was a fact that I would never take for granted, and would forever be thankful for.

I cleared my throat as quietly as possible, smiling up at him. Well, I thought it was a smile. "So… so my mother… she's..." I blew out a breath, unable to continue for a moment, and I looked down, swallowing. I closed my eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath as I futilely tried to calm myself down.

"My love, I need you to be still and calm for a moment," Edward murmured, his scent wafting over me, filling my nostrils and therefore, my senses. It calmed me down significantly, and I cocked my head to the side, lifting an eyebrow in question. He ignored it. "Bella, you are not going to like what I have to tell you—"

"She's here, and she's coming for me," I said, looking up at him. I studied him for a second before continuing. "Which means that she knows about you," I said slowly before letting out a harsh breath. I huffed out a laugh. "Well, shit. I'm in trouble, aren't I?" I laughed to myself, snorting. "This is great. Just fucking perfect… _she's_ the force, right? The undetermined party that thinks I'm better off without you, right?" The laughter took on a hysterical edge and before I knew it, I was hyperventilating. "Edward," I tried to get out as I gripped the bed covers, "Oh, god, she's going to take me away from you?"

And there went my voice box.

Edward drew me into his arms and released the growl—_my growl_. I let out deep breaths, and closed my eyes as the calm and safe feeling came over me. Just like all the other times, I welcomed it, reveled in it. I had no idea how I was going to face my mother, but I knew that if I had Edward with me, then everything would be ok.

Most importantly, I knew we'd get through this.

"Hush, my mate," Edward purred. "I will never let her take you away from me; not if I can help it. I love you and you are mine. We just have to take some precautions, my love. That is all. Which is why, before we can do anything, we must go to main house and discuss this with our parents and siblings. We will need their help, love. Your mother may be human, but she is cunning, and I believe there is more than meets the eye."

"So do I," I agreed, nodding. I pushed on Edward's chest and he released all of me but my hand. I tugged on it, smiling a small, tight smile and he growled playfully, following me through to the wardrobe. We undressed each other and I was pleasantly surprised that Edward—and I—could control himself. We dressed with no mischief of cheeky touches… well, for the most part, and not five minutes later, I was in Edward's arms and he was speeding for the main house.

When we arrived, it seemed as though they were expected us. Every Cullen was waiting outside, with only Carmen and Eleazar of the Denalis present, too. My eyes narrowed at the obvious absence of the three Denali sisters and in my panicked—among other things—state, I wondered if at least one of them might have something to do with the sudden appearance of my mother.

My guess? Tanya, of course.

But then, a few seconds later, two of the three sisters appeared. And though I was still suspicious of Kate and Irina even now as they stood across from us, it just proved further that Tanya was the most likely culprit.

Edward ignored them all, his eyes landing immediately on Alice.

"You saw?" Edward asked, pulling me down and wrapping his arm around my waist. He was staring intently at Alice, and from the look on his face, I knew she was telling him more than she would out loud.

My guess was right. "Yes, I did. Edward, this is serious." Another pointed look made Edward growl under his breath and I shot a glare at Alice, instinctually telling her to quit it. She looked apologetic, but glanced at Jasper.

He nodded at her, smiling softly and kissing her cheek.

"I think it is best we go inside and talk. Now," he said.

"Yes," Carlisle said, nodding with his arm wrapped around Esme. She cuddled into him, but I could see her distress. She was a true mother, just what I needed right now.

"Mom," I gasped, running out of Edward's arms and into hers. She sighed when I wrapped my arms around her neck, wrapping her own arms around me, and I swallowed. I sniffled, breathing in deeply to take in her scent.

"Oh, dear," she sighed and I nearly laughed with relief. The sound of her motherly voice and the feeling of her comforting arms around my waist were exactly what the doctor ordered. When I leaned back, Esme took my face in her hands. "Everything will be ok. We will fix this."

I nodded, unable to really do anything else when she was telling me something this forcefully. "I hope so. Because I honestly don't think I'm strong enough to lose you, any of you."

"It's alright," Esme insisted with a small, loving, motherly smile. "We will take care of this. You won't lose us. Don't focus on that now, little one. Everything will be ok. For now, let us go inside and talk about this so we can orchestrate a plan, hmm?"

I looked at her for a long moment before taking a deep, shuddering breath. I nodded and she smiled, dropping one arm around my waist as she walked inside. The whole time, my eyes searched for Edward and when our eyes met, he smiled reassuringly, the love in his eyes shining.

When we entered the lounge room, Edward walked toward Esme and I. We sat down on the couch and Edward down beside me. As soon as he was comfortable, I reached for him and he placed me carefully on his lap. He wrapped both arms around my waist, hugging me tightly to his chest and I sighed in relief.

"I love you," he whispered.

I looked up at him. "I love you."

The discussion began. I didn't pay a lot of attention as it was all on Edward. I looked into his eyes, memorizing his features and trying to think of anything other than what was happening now. What we—or, the others—were talking about and what we were going to be facing soon.

It was only when I heard Edward talk about coming with me to Charlie's that my attention shifted to the conversation.

"Wait, what?" I interjected, looking at Edward. I was already shaking my head when our eyes met, brown and panicked to black and desperate. "Edward, no. No! You can't come with me. I have to go alone. You can't be there when she's there, Edward. You just can't. Please, just let me go myself."

He looked at me, alarmed. He, too, was shaking his head before I'd even finished. "Bella, my love, I am not letting you go there alone. Not when that… that _witch _is going to be there. She could hurt you, sweet girl. She could hurt you and I wouldn't be able to do anything."

His eyes were pleading with me to understand, to agree, to not shut him out. I shook my head, and when I spoke, the words shattered me. "I know, but, Edward, you can't come."

His face crumpled and he swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut. His face morphed into one of sheer agony and the desperation became more noticeable. "Why?"

I sighed and was about to look away when he caught my chin with his thumb and index finger. He raised an eyebrow and I sighed again. "Because… ok, you remember the first song I ever sung to you, right?"

He beamed a short-lived smile. "Yes, of course. It was Halo, and you played the piano. It was wonderful."

I blushed and muttered "thanks," before I remembered the point I was trying to make. "Yeah, that's right. And you remember that line about breaking the rules? How I was breaking all the rules?"

His brow furrowed in confusion, but I could already see in his eyes that he was beginning to understand what I was getting at here. He just refused to believe it. "Yes, I remember."

I nodded again, bracing myself for his reaction to what I was going to say. "Ok. Good. Um. Well, that wasn't just figurative speech, ok? I was actually breaking the rules—my mom's rule. Her golden one: no boyfriends. She doesn't know about you, Edward."

Many emotions flitted across his face; understanding, anger, pain, worry, fear… love… always love. He swallowed, pursing his lips for a moment, his brow furrowed. "What is she going to do?"

I let out a shaky laugh, sniffling, my breath hitching in odd places. "What is she going to do? She's… she's going to separate us, Edward. She's my legal guardian and I'm under eighteen. My father doesn't have custody; Mom refused. She can take me anywhere she wants, and once she finds out about you…" I let out a sob, squeezing my eyes shut. "She'll take me to Phoenix, Edward. As far away from you as she can. And then… I don't know what'll happen. But it won't be pretty."

The desperation was back in full force and he shook his head adamantly. "I can't just let you go. I won't. I will follow you."

I squeezed my eyes shut, holding back the sob that was threatening to shatter me again. I gritted my teeth and spoke between clenched teeth. "No. You can't. You can't do that."

He cupped my cheeks, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks, wiping away the constant tears. "Bella, I cannot just let you leave with her. I cannot just stand back and let her take you away from me. You're my mate, Isabella. You're _mine_."

My gaze softened and I smiled through the tears. "Yes. Yes, I am." I cupped his face in both my hands and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. "I am yours, my Edward."'

He smiled at me and nodded. "Mine."

We were interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing. Separating, we looked toward the sound.

Jasper looked at all of us individually before his eyes landed on the two of us. "I believe your mother is the threat your connection has been waiting for. I mean, I'd suggest filing for emancipation, but that wouldn't work."

"Why?"

"Bella would have to go down to Phoenix to file it anyway. And besides, it would be better if we didn't go to the police. Police means attention, which means the Volturi. We don't want or need that. What we do need, however, is a plan to combat this head on. Do y'all agree?"

I frowned. "How could my mother be the threat? She's human; any of you could easily overpower her."

Jasper shook his head. "You're wrong, for two reasons. First of all, yes, we could overpower her but her death would be something we'd have to cover up and we'd have to leave immediately; you'd have to leave your father behind." I frowned and swallowed, looking down. "See? You can't bear the thought; not yet. We all love you, Bella. We all consider you a part of this family. And Edward would never hurt you like that."

"I know," I murmured, peeking up at the gorgeous man in question. He smiled at me and nodded. I swallowed and looked back at Jasper and asked, "And the second reason?"

"I don't believe she's working alone. And I'm almost certain that she'll know the secret, given the circumstances."

I frowned. "Why would she?"

He smiled softly. "It comes back to the surety of her working with someone else. Think for a moment, the both of you. Who are the two people who cannot stand you two being together? And better yet, who is not here in this room that should be."

At that last statement, Irina hissed. "Are you suggesting that Tanya is part of this?"

He turned to her, unperturbed by her outburst. "Yes, I am. I believe that Bella's mother is merely a pawn in this game, a way to separate Edward and Bella so that Tanya and Jacob can get to them."

"Jacob?" I asked, frowning.

"Yes, my sweet girl," Edward interrupted, answering for his adopted brother. "He's right. Jacob must also be behind this. Think, sweet girl. Jacob wants you, and Tanya wants me."

I huffed at that, but had to admit that he was right.

"Yes," Jasper nodded, his hands clasped behind his back. "And we will have to play right into their hands if we want to defeat their purpose, which is to gain each of you as their own."

He ignored the angry shouts from Irina, and I was surprised that none of the other members of Tanya's coven was standing up to defend her. From the look on Irina's face, she was, too, and she hissed, turning back to her family before she flitted out of the room in a huff.

"Well, now that that's out of the way," Jasper drawled. "We have a plan to make."

_**~oOo~**_

"Edward," I said, swallowing as I looked over at him. He was driving the car, but watching me. His eyes held love, but I could see how nervous he was; it was in the way he gripped the steering wheel, the way his sat stone-stiff, the way his hand clenched around mine and the way his body gravitated toward mine.

After all, I was doing three of the four.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he asked, looking over at me.

I swallowed and took a deep breath to settle my stomach. Sadly, it didn't really work all that much. "I don't think I can do this."

His eyes softened, and when he spoke, his voice was like honey. "Yes, you can, sweet girl. You are the strongest, most brilliant, courageous woman I have ever met. You can most certainly do this. And besides, I am right here with you and I am not going anywhere. You know that. I will be here, with you, every step of the way."

I nodded, closing my eyes as my head fell back against the chair. I breathed deeply in and out again, chanting _I will not be sick, _in my head, over and over again. "I know that. But… but you heard Jasper. We have to play right into their hands. We have to go along with whatever they say…" I looked at him, a pang of panic hitting me. "What if they separate us?"

Immediately, Edward had parked the car and was pulling me over to him. He placed me on his lap and I wrapped my arms around his neck, straddling his thighs tightly. As usual, we were desperate as we tried to get as close as we could to one another, but this time, it was a whole different type of desperate.

"Calm down, sweet girl," Edward purred in my ear, his arms around my waist, the palm of his hand rubbing steadily up and down in a rhythmic circle. The electricity that always flowed between us jolted in sparks and, each time it happened, I jumped, which would result in Edward hushing me and crushing my body closer to him. I calmed as our chests and stomachs pressed against each other, and, slowly, our matched breathing began to slow.

"My love, as much as I wish I could hold you all day, I cannot," Edward whispered in my ear. I sniffled and pulled my head back to look into his eyes. "We must go."

I looked down and swallowed back the lump in my throat before nodding. "Ok," I whispered, withdrawing from all of him but his hand, which I kept tightly clenched in mine.

"Hey," Edward whispered, pulling me back to him for just a second. His eyes, black and fierce, burrowed into mine. "I will never let anything hurt you, sweet love. Surely you know that."

I nodded. "I do," I whispered, my voice hoarse from all the crying. "If there's anything I do know, it's that, Edward."

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I am glad."

And then he reached over and started the car, but not before telling me sweetly and anxiously—the worrier he was—to put my seatbelt on. I rolled my eyes, but did just as he asked and off we went.

Five minutes later, we had reached the house.

We sat there for a few moments after Edward had stopped the car.

"Is she there yet?" I whispered.

"No," he whispered back, glancing at me. "No, she has not arrived yet. And she is not in hearing range yet, either."

I nodded. "And where are the others?"

"Spread out in the woods surrounding your house," he said, glancing out the window as he hunched forward slightly. "Your father is worried. He knows we are here, and is watching us closely. He wants to know why we have not left the car yet." My gorgeous man turned back to me. "We should go inside, love."

I nodded and took a deep breath. "Ok. Let's do this."

Edward got out of the car and quickly ran around to my side in a fast jog. He opened my door and reached out for my hand, pulling me out of the car. We stood there for a moment, inches apart, until Edward slowly wound his arm around my waist. I sighed, my breath hitching, and I sniffled as the electricity sparked again.

We walked, with Edward's arm around my waist, to the door. The door was opened before we even set foot on the porch, and my father's anxious face came into view.

"Bella, Edward," he said and I frowned.

_Yeah, he's nervous, _I thought. _He didn't even call me Bells._

"Dad," I said with a soft smile. Seconds later, I was standing in front of him and he pulled me into his arms. Edward ceased his hold on my waist, grabbing my hand instead. I sighed as my father's protective arms wrapped around my shoulders, and I closed my eyes as I laid my head on his chest for just a few moments.

"How are you feeling?"

I shrugged awkwardly. "The same, but worse; we think Mom's the threat to our connection that we've been waiting for."

He frowned and pulled back to look at me. "But, how? I mean… how could she do so much damage if she's only human?"

I looked at Edward, and he took that as a sign to continue for me. "We believe she is working with Jacob and Tanya. They both want to separate us to they can have us for their own."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" Dad asked.

Edward looked around uncomfortably for a moment, and Dad immediately released me so I could wrap my arms around Edward's waist, trying to calm him down in any way I could. It seemed to work, as Edward spoke after that. "Perhaps we should take this inside?"

Charlie stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. "Yeah… ok, right. Sorry, guys, I should have invited you in."

"It's fine," I said with a smile.

We quickly entered the house, making a beeline for the lounge room. When we were all seated, Edward continued. "We need to do whatever we can to make sure that doesn't happen, but at the same time, we cannot include any police or officials in this."

Charlie frowned and I could almost see the cogs turning inside his head. "Emancipation; Bella could apply for emancipation."

We shook our heads, but it as I who spoke. "Dad, I'd have to go to Phoenix to file the report, remember? You know this stuff… and they'd probably take me hostage or something anyway. It's a moot point."

Charlie sighed dejectedly, and nodded. "Yeah, you're right… I probably should have remembered. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help. I had no idea she treated you so bad, Bells. I hate myself for letting you leave with her." He looked up at my quickly and fiercely then, desperation coloring his tone and expression. "Just… just promise me she didn't hit you. She didn't, did she?"

I shook my head and whispered, "No, she didn't. I would have told you if she did, I promise."

He nodded, seemingly consoled.

"Dad, just know that I'm probably going to be leaving today," I said, trying to keep myself calm and clinically composed. "And it most likely won't be pretty but… no matter what happens I need you to listen to Edward and his family, ok? If you want to help, you _must _talk to them _before _you do anything, ok?" I added in a piercing narrow-eyed look for good measure.

He sighed harshly, but nodded, reluctant though it was. "Ok. Supernatural things I think I'll leave to you guys."

I giggled and nodded. "Maybe that's a good idea."

Just then, Edward growled. I looked up at him and could tell immediately what was going on just from the look on his face.

"She's close, isn't she?" I asked, and he nodded gruffly, the growl still resonating in his chest roughly.

"Only two miles out now," he said quickly. "She's moving quickly, love. We'd best be ready now."

I nodded and got up, pulling him with me. I took him with me into the kitchen and turned back to look at him. "Kiss me, mark me… do whatever you need now."

That was all he needed. In the next half-second, he crashed his lips down on mine and I moaned, gripping his hair, my fingers threading through the thick, luscious locks of his beautiful bronze hair. His arms wrapped around my waist tightly, his hands wandering all over my body quickly, lightly, and teasingly.

"Please," I whimpered as he broke the kiss. His lips never left my skin as his hands flew down to my ass and he pulled me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. "Mark me, Edward."

And he proceeded to do just that.

But just as quickly as it started, it ended. The doorbell rang just a few seconds later, and I whined long and low in his ear as he put me down. Using his natural speed, he smoothed our clothes and hair, making sure we were perfectly presentable.

I flinched when I heard the front door slam. It seemed my mother really was angry as she shouted "Isabella!" not even caring to start with pleasantries with Charlie.

I looked up at Edward, who had taken to having half a yard between us since her arrival. I longed for his arms around me, feeling naked without them, but resigned myself with the knowledge that I could do nothing.

When we entered the room, I swallowed. There, standing across the room, was a woman I had not seen in months. A woman I had grown to fear.

"Mother," I whispered just loud enough for her to hear me.

Her eyes regarded me for just a moment.

"Isabella." The tone my mother used was level, calm, and normal, but from experience, I could detect the storm brewing behind the façade. I took a deep breath, unable to avert my eyes from her piercing gaze. Her eyes flickered to Edward and she raised an eyebrow at me that just said 'you're in trouble.' However, it was the particularly malicious glint in her eyes that separated that from the standard, normal motherly meaning of the words into something more… something dangerous. Something that was making me sick. "It seems there's something you've neglected to tell me about… or rather… some_one_," she said, her eyes flashing pointedly over to Edward's still form.

Even from where I was standing—nearly two yards away from my Edward—I could hear his growl. I glanced at Dad, swallowing, and realized that he, too, noticed Edward's reaction. I wanted desperately to say something, but under my mother's scrutinizing gaze, I felt nothing but fear.

It was like I was back to square one, back to fearing the one person in my life that I really _shouldn't_ _have _to fear. My throat closed up as I thought of all the things she'd said to me over the years, and I realized that, while I would feel better away from her, I would probably never fully get over her verbal and emotional abuse. It rang volumes in the air whenever we were in the same room as it was.

"Isabella," my mother's low, warning voice sounded again. I flinched, and heard Edward's reaction to my fear as I looked up at her. "Answer me now or you will regret it."

"Yes, mother," I said, trying to keep my voice as level and calm as possible. "I have kept someone from you." I looked back over my shoulder at Edward, begging him with my eyes to just try to calm down. He swallowed, his eyes flickering between me and my mother, a woman I knew he felt was a threat to his mate's safety. Hell, she was a threat. I turned back to look at my mother slowly, my voice cautious when I spoke again. "Mom, this is my boyfriend, Edward."

* * *

><p><strong>I know, I know. I'm so sorry to stop it there, but with how I've been struggling with this chapter, I just had to. Don't worry though, part 2 of chapter 23 When All Hell Breaks Loose will be up in three weeks and in the PDF, they'll be combined as one chapter.<strong>

**I'm back, guys. I may be treading water lightly and hesitantly, but at least I'm in that damned water. ;)**

**See you in three weeks, on the 26****th**** of March.**

**Love you all and I'm sorry this chapter wasn't up to the usual standard (at least it wasn't in my opinion).**

**Please review**

**bexie25**


	26. When All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2

**Hello again!**

**Surprise! So here's the second part of When All Hell Breaks Loose. Hope you enjoy it; it starts right after the last one ends...**

**This chapter was completed the day I uploaded the last chapter (so, yesterday). I was just bitten by the plot and taken hostage, pretty much, until the chapter was complete. I really fucking love this chapter… but you probably won't. I got Chandrakanta to just quickly go through to check any major problems of this copy, the second one after I went through to check anything major and found two paragraphs swapped around the wrong way… don't ask, it was midnight when I finished this, ok?**

**And yeah. Updating now because you all are so upset/angry that you'd have to wait three weeks for the next one… **

**Read, review, enjoy! :)**

**See you down the bottom!**

* * *

><p>She stared at us for a moment before plastering an obviously fake smile on her face. "Edward," she said with that scary undertone still evident, buried within the tone of her voice. "A pleasure to meet you," she continued coolly, holding her hand out.<p>

My Edward clasped it in his and shook her hand once, twice, before releasing it with a nod. "Yes, ma'am, it is a pleasure to meet you as well."

Only my father and I could tell that he didn't really mean it.

"Now, Edward, I haven't seen my daughter in a while," my mother said. "So would you mind terribly if you went home or something? I don't really care where you go, as long as you're not here. I wish to spend some time with my daughter."

She glanced at me, and the angry fire in them told me that when Edward left—because let's face it, he had to—shit would go down. I started to shake just slightly, and I heard it when Edward growled under his breath. When I shifted back toward him, I had that strange feeling that my mother was scrutinizing every move I made.

"Well?" she asked, her voice taking a new, hard edge to it as she watched us both with slightly narrowed eyes.

I looked up at Edward, and he looked down at me. His brow creased when he saw the apparent fright and pain in my eyes, but he knew this had to happen so, swallowing, he turned back to Renée.

"Of course, ma'am," he said quietly. He slowed his movements as he took just a few steps away from me and toward the door. I whimpered then breathed in deeply and held it as he stopped and looked toward me. I swallowed and nodded just slightly and he sighed sadly to himself before walking to the door.

He turned back to us and forced a smile onto his face. I could see just how hard he was trying to be casual, and to the outsider, perhaps it looked that way. I couldn't possibly know; I knew him to well.

"See you later, Bella," he said, his eyes flashing to Charlie for a moment. My eyes were riveted to only him, and I didn't even bother look around to see what he was communicating to Dad, or if Renée had noticed and was watching closely.

I listened closely, thankful that things seemed to have enhanced for me. I heard him walk quickly to the car, and I felt just a twinge of pain in my chest, making me hiss. I felt eyes on me, but paid no attention to them as I listened to Edward getting into the car and drive away.

"Ah," I exclaimed, my hand flying up to my chest. I clawed at it, squeezing my eyes shut, biting down on my tongue to keep from screaming.

A few seconds later, however, and it lessened abruptly to nothing, to numbness. For a moment, I was confused, thinking that perhaps he had come back, but I quickly realized that that was wrong. It wasn't that he was close; he was so far away now that our connection had taken away the pain and replaced it quickly with numbness.

This was the preparation that Eleazar had spoken of! Instead of feeling pain that we usually would, we felt numb so we could still, in a sense, function.

I took a deep breath and turned to my mother. She glared at me for a moment before turning to Charlie. "Charlie, would you please leave the room? I'd like to speak to our daughter."

"I'd rather not," he replied, hands on hips. "In fact, I think I'll stay right here."

I swore under my breath, looking down. If I didn't make him leave, the punishment I was going to receive anyway would just get worse. I turned to Dad and, fighting back the tears, I said, "No, Dad, it's fine. I wanna catch up with Mom. It's been so long since I last saw her, and I really missed her. Besides, what we'll be talking about is girl stuff; nothing you'd wanna hear, I'm sure. Go grab a beer or something and just… do whatever, you know?"

_Please, please, please, please, _I added, begging in my mind.

He glanced at Renée wearily, then at me. "Are you sure?" he asked.

I smiled a nervous, fake smile and nodded. "Yep, I'm positive. Seriously, Dad… I don't know why you're even worrying. Please, go have some time to yourself. You stink, actually, so why not have a shower?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, I will. Just holler if you need anything, ok?" He sent me a meaningful look.

I nodded. "Will do."

He walked up the stairs and into his room. With each step he took, I could feel my heart pound harder, nerves building until I felt like I was going to vomit. I could feel Renée's eyes on me, glaring at my figure, and I shivered under her piercing gaze.

She said and did nothing until the door closed and the water of the shower turned on.

In the meantime, I began to feel less… strangely numb. Feeling returned and I took a deep breath, sighing with relief as the return of normal feeling signified Edward's return. I hated that he wasn't here with me as I faced the tyrant that was unfortunately my mother, but it comforted me to know that, logically, he was mere yards away, watching and listening anxiously in the trees with the rest of his family and the Denalis bar Tanya.

"Isabella," my mother started, bringing my attention back to the present, in this very room. "What on earth were you thinking?" she asked, her voice low, but even I could hear the anger in it.

I swallowed. "How do you mean?"

She let out just one, short, hard laugh. "Hah! _How do you mean?_" she mimicked me cruelly. "I mean, how could you be so irresponsible as to get a boyfriend, stupid girl? Have I taught you nothing? Did you really think that you were free once you left my house in Phoenix?"

"I—" I began, only to be cut off as she continued her rant.

"No, no, you don't get to speak, Isabella. Not now, it's my turn now," she spat, stepping closer. I edged back and she laughed, shaking her head in incredulity. "Well, well, well, you really must think you've grown up, don't you? Backing away from me, your mother? God, you're such a slut. I bet it feels nice to have some prissy little pussy running after you the way that _Edward_ was. Is he even good in bed, or are you the type of slut that doesn't care as long as you're filled to the rim?"

My breath hitched at the ugly insults, and tears slid down my face only to dry as anger swelled in me. How dare she insult me, and how dare she insult my mate?

Still, I said nothing for fear of what she might do.

"You know what? I know exactly what we'll do to solve this," she said, staring at me. She smirked. "You're coming with me, Isabella. We're leaving for Phoenix tonight. But don't you worry, you'll get to say goodbye to your little Eddie before we go; I wouldn't miss that for the world."

For the first time, I spoke. "I am not leaving; not now, not ever, and definitely not with you."

She laughed that high-pitched, incredulous laugh of hers, her hands coming together in harsh slaps as she shook her head and clapped at my already evaporated bravado. "Well done, Isabella, you've grown into such a good little defiant bitch. Now shut up and come here."

I made no move.

"Isabella, if you don't get your ass over here now, you will regret it," my mother growled.

I flinched and hesitantly stepped toward her, looking down at my feet.

When I reached her, she said, "Now, I want you to stand here, look up, and explain to me just what you thought you were doing when you went against my rules."

"I…" I started, looking up at her. "It isn't what you think," I whispered. "With Edward, I mean."

_There_, I thought. _There. Now please don't make me continue._

She laughed and shook her head. "Oh, I know just what 'it is'. Believe me when I say I know all about you and that... that boy," she spat. When she noticed the shock on my face, she cocked an eyebrow. "What? Did you really think I'd let you move up here without having someone to tell me what my little bitch is up to?"

I flinched at the cruel, hard laughter that ensued, sniffling as I wished for Edward's comforting arms wrapped around me. Alas, it wasn't going to happen now.

"Well, Isabella?" my mother taunted, her eyebrow raised. "Are you going to stand there like an idiot or attempt to explain yourself?"

"I…" I began, squeezing my eyes shut as pain tore through me at what I was going to say. "I don't love him. It's not serious, I don't love him."

Two things happened simultaneously. I heard an animalistic roar from the woods, and Renée lifted her hand and slapped me hard across the face, so hard that I fell to the ground. My head hit the floor with a loud thud and I cried out as pain hit me, and my head throbbed violently.

I opened my eyes to see nothing but a blurry figure standing over me.

They got closer and I whimpered, petrified.

I sobbed as I turned, and got up onto my hands and knees. The next thing I knew, my face was crushed against the carpet, and I cried as I heard a cracking snap sound in my cheek, jaw, chest and back. I tried again and quickly got up, my arms shaking and the pain in my body snarling, making me sob harder. I could taste blood in my mouth and feel the warmth of it as it dripped down the side of my face.

"Bella!" I heard my father shout and the next second, he was right there. "Come on, baby, get up. Go into the kitchen, I'll be there in a minute." And then he turned to Renée and started shouting at her. I didn't even bother paying attention to the words.

With my breath hitching in odd places, tears streaming down my face, and my cheek stinging, I walked slowly, wearily, into the kitchen. My hand patted down the side of the wall as I walked forward, trying to find the sink but because of how hard the slap had been, my eye hurt and I thought it best not to strain it.

I sniffled and sobbed quietly to myself, shaking. I wanted nothing more than to have Edward with me, but I was sure that was near impossible – even with his supernatural and stealthy abilities. I finally made it to the sink, turning on the water. I got some paper towels and held them under the water, squeezing the excess water out before I pressed it against my stinging, flaming cheek. Blood seeped through the paper towel and I threw it away, getting another one to get the rest of the blood off. I could hear both my parents fighting, shouting in high volumes at each other, in the living room but that didn't hold my attention for too long. At the sound of a low, animalistic whimper, I gasped and looked up out the window.

I let out a sob again as tears welled. Edward was standing there, just yards away, watching me miserably and anxiously as his brothers held him back. My hand and arm shook as I lifted it and pressed the palm of my hand against the cold window. Edward growled softly, and in the blink of an eye he had broken from his brothers' hold and was standing right there, his own palm pressed against the window, right against mine.

"I love you," I mouthed, sniffling. "I'm sorry."

He smiled, his brown creased with anguishing pain that I couldn't bear to see there as he shook his head, but I could see the nerves and pain behind it. "I love you," he mouthed back, swallowing.

"Isabella!" my mother shouted. I flinched, my eyes going wide, and I looked into Edward's eyes in panic. He hushed me, pressing against the window with both hands, his eyes panicked as well as his instincts shouted at him to calm me and protect me. My lower lip quivered and I started to sob again when I heard Renée shout my name again. "Isabella, get in here _now_."

"Goodbye," I whispered, sniffling. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, forcing myself to ignore the lump in my throat as I turned on the autopilot I hadn't needed for months. Edward noticed the difference as I became my withdrawn self and I heard Edward's cry. My breath hitched at the sound of my mate's pain, but I knew I couldn't do anything about it. Not now. I squeezed my eyes shut again, tighter this time and forced the breath out between clenched teeth.

I turned away and walked into the lounge room. I stood there, waiting for my parents to at least notice me or look my way, but neither of them did. I sighed harshly, anger filling me again and I yelled, "Shut up!"

Abruptly, they stopped and looked at me. Renée seemed amused that I had "come out of my shell and dared to shush adults" as she would say, and Dad looked contrite and very concerned.

"Bella, what did she do to you?" he whispered, horrified and staring at me open-mouthed.

"She did what she has done ever since she left this place," I replied and I shrugged then winced when that hurt. "It's what I'm used to, Dad. You said she'd lost herself when she left… you were right. You just didn't know up until a few minutes ago how much."

I looked at Renée. "I will go with you, if I have to. If it will stop you from fighting and trying to destroy my life. But know this: Edward will come for me, and when he does, nothing and no one will be able to stop him from getting me back to where I belong; with him, by his side. I hope you know what you're getting into by working with Tanya and Jacob."

She looked shocked, and I smirked. "What, you didn't honestly think I'd leave and not keep tabs on my bitch of a mother?" I giggled. "Actually, it wasn't me, but we knew instantly that this was why you were coming here. You're working for them, aren't you?"

She nodded and swallowed.

"Just as suspected then," I said. "Now, this is how it's going to happen." I turned to my father. "You are going to drive me to the Cullen place, and Mom will follow. I'll go in the car with you. Carlisle or Edward, I don't mind, will treat my injuries and then we will leave."

I looked at my surprised and subdued mother, smirking at the comparison to how it was just ten minutes ago. "Mother, within the week, whatever plans you have for me will fall through and instead, you'll most likely be dead. I don't know what plans you made with Tanya and Jacob and what you got for your part in this, but I can assure you, you won't receive your payment. I'm going to go upstairs to pack a few things I'd like to take to Phoenix. In the meantime, you both will stay here and get your shit sorted. We're leaving as soon as _I _am ready."

Then I turned around and walked upstairs, trying to keep my brave face on. I hoped that Edward had taken the hint and was waiting upstairs in my room for me, or was on his way there.

I also hoped he didn't hate me too much for this.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I stopped for a moment. I took a deep breath—as deep as I could, anyway, what with the pain in my chest from when Renée kicked me back down—and released it, clenching my eyes shut as I suppressed a sob.

I heard speaking down below, and my eyes snapped open. "I said be quiet!" I yelled and turned my head to the side to make sure no one was talking anymore before I proceeded into my room.

The first thing my eyes found was Edward's broken form sitting on the bed. When I saw him there, I broke. With a sob ripping from my chest, I reached out for him and in a flash his arms were wrapped gently but protectively around me, my head on his chest, and his lips at my ear. I shook with the force of my sobs, but all I heard was my name whispered over and over and over.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered out against his chest, my tears quickly dampening his shirt. I leaned back to look in his eyes. "I… I shouldn't have said what I said. I didn't want to, but I had to, Edward. I'm so sorry…"

"Hush, my sweet spitfire," he whispered, cupping my cheeks and wiping the tears away as I let out a small laugh at the new nickname. "I understand. And I only growled because of what your mother was thinking." He gritted his teeth together, and a growl vibrated in his chest. "I hate that she hurt you and that I was powerless to stop it. I wish I had; I wish Jasper and Emmett hadn't held me back. I understand why they did, but everything in me is screaming at me, even now, to kill her. To annihilate the monster that hurt you," he said, his eyes trailing over the most-likely-not-pretty bruises and lacerations on my jaw, cheek and temple.

I frowned. "Don't. You can't. Not yet."

He looked into my eyes, confused. "Bella, my love, she'll take you away from me."

I shook my head. "That may be, but you cannot kill her yet. If we want to take care of Tanya and Jacob, this is how it has to be. Kill her when I return to you, Edward, and when you guys have taken care of Tanya and Jacob," I whispered, looking down.

Edward caught my chin with his finger and tipped my head back to look him in the eye. "I know we must do this… I know that logically, you are right, but… Bella, I honestly don't know what I'll do without you."

I smiled even as I cried. "You'll be confident that I will come back to you. You'll wait for me, Edward. I probably won't be able to contact you, nor will I have this power I seem to have over my mother much longer, but for now, I will use it to my advantage."

He frowned and shook his head. "But what of the pain?"

I laughed and looked up at him happily. "Didn't you notice today? The numbness we felt when you took the car back home?"

"Yes, I did, love," he replied. "And I am thankful for it, but we have no guarantee that it will hold out like that."

"Of course it will. This is what our connection was meant to do; this is what it saw coming and prepared for."

"Only if you're sure…" he replied hesitantly.

"I am," I said confidently. "But right now, I need to pack." I looked back over my shoulder at everything in this room and sighed before turning back to my reason for being. "Help me?"

He nodded sadly, and swallowed. "Always," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.

We packed my singular bag in silence. I packed only a few pairs of clothes and one other pair of shoes to the ones I had on. The rest of the items were sentimental, and Edward gave me his shirt to take with me. I drew in deep breath of his scent and held it to my chest.

"Thank you."

He nodded and turned back to the bag, holding his hand out for the shirt. I frowned and handed it over. Edward put it into the bag then zipped it up. He turned to me and, not even looking at me, he handed it over.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered, cupping his cheek to make him look into my eyes.

He swallowed and nodded. Picking up my hand, he turned the gorgeous eternity ring he'd made me, fingering it reverently before he glanced up at my face. "I love you, Isabella Swan. Eternally and irrevocably," he whispered, reiterating the words he'd spoken the day he'd given this symbol of his love to me. "No matter what happens from here, know that."

I smiled and nodded. "And you, as well. No matter what I do or say or what happens after this moment, all you need to know is how much I love you. And I do, Edward, so much."

He nodded, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone from my sight. I took a deep, shuddering breath, and walked out the door again.

_**~oOo~**_

"Are you sure about this, Bells?" Dad asked me as we got into the cruiser. His eyes were in the rearview mirror and he anxiously watched my mother as she got into her car.

I looked out the window, toward the woods where my Edward and the rest of our family was. I saw a glimmer of them as Dad reversed out of the drive.

"Yes, Dad, I am," I replied strongly, turning my head to look at him. "It's what we need to do. If we're going to beat Tanya and Jacob, then we need to do just as Jasper said; we need to play right into their hands. And besides, Renée's just a pawn to them. She's not important, so if Edward isn't the one to kill her, Jacob or Tanya will be."

"Jeesh, Bells," Dad said, frowning over at me. "Don't you think that's a little harsh?"

I snorted, shaking my head. "After what she's done to me all these years? After what she's making me do to Edward now? No, Dad, no, I do not. Renée is going to get everything she deserves. If she was even the littlest bit nicer I might have felt bad about what was going to happen to her, but as it so happens, I couldn't give two shits. And no offence, but how come you're more… sympathetic?"

He sighed. "I dunno, Bells. I just… I've never seen her the way she was today—"

"I have," I inputted, snorting.

He continued on, "—and I find it hard to believe, even with the proof staring me in the face, that she's actually capable of doing that. That's not the Renée I fell in love with and married."

"People change," I said quietly.

"Yeah," Dad replied just as softly, pain coloring his tone. "I'm getting to understand that better."

I left it at that, looking out the window for the remainder of the trip.

When we arrived at the house, the Cullens were all inside so as to not create a spectacle. I could nearly feel Edward's nervous energy as I got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Dad was at my side, Renée standing behind us quietly.

Dad knocked on the door, his arm wrapped around my waist gently. I could tell he was nervous about the extent of the damage, but since my jaw was relatively fine when I was talking and even when I wasn't, I was sure my injuries were relatively small and inconsequential.

The door was opened by Carlisle, and when his eyes landed on me, there was genuine surprise and horror. "Bella, Charlie, what a surprise. What happened?" His eyes assessed me as a doctor would, but both Charlie and I knew he was using his extra senses to calculate damage.

"I was in an accident," I replied quickly. "Nothing serious."

His eyes narrowed slightly and he glanced at Charlie and then at Renée. He looked back at me and opened the door wider. "Well, come in, please. Isabella, Edward is upstairs. If you two would like to wait for me there, I'll be with you shortly. I take it you've come for me to examine you and treat your injuries."

We followed him into the house, but he turned abruptly and looked at my mother. She shook under his penetrating gaze, but he forced a smile onto his face and thrust his hand out to shake hers. "You must be Isabella's mother, Renée. Edward was just telling me you were in town. It's a pleasure to meet you."

There was nothing pleasant about his tone, however, that much was obvious. Renée shook his hand and thanked him quietly, relaying the same greeting and pleasantries onto him. He did not reply.

"Uh, where is Edward?" I asked my second father, and he looked down at me with a smile.

"He's upstairs in his room, Bella," he replied warmly. "As I said, I'll be up in just a moment."

I smiled and thanked him with a nod then promptly left them in search for Edward. It was easier than I thought as Edward was waiting anxiously at the top of the stairs for me on the second floor.

"Hi," I whispered with a cautious smile.

"Hi," he replied, just as softly. He reached for me and I eagerly walked into his embrace, sighing as the sense of being home filled me when his arms wrapped around my waist and his lips pressed lightly against my temple.

"When did you get back?" I asked, looking up.

He smiled vacantly. "We ran alongside your car, so perhaps thirty seconds before you got home."

I smiled. "A long time for a vampire," I commented light-heartedly.

"Not long enough," he whispered, looking down at me. "How do you feel?"

I swallowed and shrugged before hissing. "I was going to say that it's not as bad as I thought it was, but maybe I was speaking too soon."

He raised an eyebrow and I sighed.

"Honestly, it's not that bad. The ache in my jaw is nearly completely gone, and it doesn't worsen when I talk, so that's probably nothing—"

He shook his head. "It's close, but it's definitely not 'nothing.' Your mother physically abused you, Bella. How can you be so calm about this?"

I shrugged and hissed again. "I dunno, I just… it's happened before. When she really gets angry, there's no telling what she'll do. It used to really get to me, but now I have you and I know I'm safe as long as you exist."

"You're safe for forever, Bella," Edward said softly, his golden eyes burning into mine. "Never forget that."

I smiled softly at him, pecking him on the lips. "I know."

He nodded before stiffening. His top lip turned up into a snarl which reverberated throughout his entire body.

I frowned, immediately concerned. "What?"

"Your mother has the most vulgar, despicable mind I have ever heard," he growled out, clenching his now-black eyes shut.

Instantly, I moved to calm him. I placed my hands on each side of his face and stood up on my tippy toes. "Tell me," I breathed, letting my breath wash over his face and fill his senses with my scent.

He relaxed under my hands, but his eyes were still black when I opened them again. "It's nothing specific… it's just… she was remembering you crumpled and on the ground after she kneed you in the back when you attempted to get up. The pleasure in her thoughts, Bella… the way she marveled at your broken cries and your pain…" he looked into my eyes, a daunting, haunted look in his own as he swallowed. "It makes me wish to put her through the worst torture possible."

"You can, Edward," I whispered. "Just… Not yet."

He growled, and leaned his forehead against mine gently. The cold soothed the pain in my temple and cheek and even my jaw as his breath panned out through his open lips. "I hate that she is the reason why we are going through this… a mere human… and a terrible, ghastly one, no less."

I was about to reply when Edward's eyes snapped open and he shifted so I was tucked into his side. I looked down to see Carlisle's worried gaze on us as he walked up the stairs to us.

"In my office," he said quietly, walking quickly and urgently past us and up the next flight of stairs. When Edward and I reached it, I was suddenly lifted into my mate's strong arms and I melted into his secure and protective hold, sighing, reveling in what was left of our time together before I was due to leave… as much as neither of us wanted me to.

Edward set me down on the examination table as his father flitted around the room, grabbing the required supplies. He held my hands tightly in his, his expression strained at best as he looked into my eyes. I could see that he was examining me by his calculating gaze, and from the way his lips vibrated, I knew he was suggesting things to Carlisle and that they were discussing my condition.

"Care to share?" I asked softly with a smile.

He smiled a tight-lipped smile. "We're most worried about your face. We're quite sure we've assessed accurately the problem areas, but we need to know if you're having any trouble with your back."

I frowned. "I don't think so."

"Take a deep breath, my love."

I did as he asked, and gasped in pain. "Ow."

He swallowed and nodded quickly as his lips began to vibrate. Carlisle appeared then, right beside Edward.

"Bella, could you please remove your shirt and turn around?" he asked and I looked to Edward, who nodded in encouragement.

"Ah, yeah, sure," I replied. I quickly undid the buttons and Edward helped me get it off my arms. I slipped off the cold table and turned around, only to hear Edward gasp in horror and growl in fury.

I looked over my shoulder. "What?"

"A knee-print," he replied harshly. "The exact shape of your mother's knee is imprinted on your skin as a bruise." He glanced at Carlisle, who appeared to be just as angry he was, then back at me. "Love, are your ribs hurting? Even just a little discomfort?"

I turned around, frowned, and took another deep breath. "No. It's just sore."

"What is?"

"That part of my back," I replied.

"And what about your cheek and temple?" he asked, frowning with concern. "You already said that your jaw wasn't as bad anymore, that it was just a faint throbbing?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just throbbing a little… it's hardly even noticeable, actually." I sighed. "But I do have a bit of a headache."

"Where?" he asked, immediately alert as his eyes glazed over and he listened carefully.

"My eyebrow to the side of my face just at the temple," I said, looking between them. "Is that bad?"

"I don't believe so," he replied with a sigh, "And your cheek?"

I shook my head. "It's fine if I don't touch it. Feels like a normal bruise."

Carlisle sighed and rested a hand on Edward's should comfortingly. "She is really quite alright, Edward. It was not as bad as we originally feared. But that temple and back of hers is going to be a problem." He looked at me. "You may not feel it now, but it could, at any stage, give you quite a lot of grief. You may feel a little stiff tomorrow."

I sighed. "I've had worse."

Edward growled under his breath, muttering as he crossed his arms.

"Just give me some pain medication, Carlisle," I said carefully, my eyes never leaving Edward's form. "I'll make sure I take it. Just don't announce that I have it or anything to Renée; she'll take it away if you do."

Edward growled and I reached for him, gasping as I felt a stabbing, sharp throbbing pain in my back. I groaned. Edward immediately snapped his head back around and his eyes softened as they landed on me. He wrapped his arms around me lightly, sitting down beside me and pulling me against him gently.

I leaned my head against his shoulder and sighed as the cold soothed my headache. Edward purred when he realized he was helping me with the pain and I smiled, opening my eyes—not that I realized that I'd closed them in the first place…

"Are you sure about this, Bella?" Carlisle asked, and I looked up to see him looking me dead-on in the eyes. "I could always exaggerate the extent of the injuries and hospitalize you, at the very least; buy us some time…"

I was shaking my head before he'd even finished. "No, Carlisle. We need to do this. Everything will be fine. Just… take care of Edward for me," I whispered that last part so only he could hear.

Carlisle sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Alright… if you are sure," he said reluctantly.

"I am," I said firmly. "This is what we have to do. And besides, we can get through this. I will find a way to get out of there while you guys take out Jacob and Tanya and take care of my mate."

He nodded. "We will, of course. We just wish this didn't have to happen."

I sighed. "Believe me, so do I. But this is the way things have to be, for now."

Carlisle signed the prescription pad that was in his hand—don't ask me when and how that got there—before handing the prescription to me. "Will you be able to get them yourself?"

I nodded. "Should be able to on the way to Phoenix," I said.

"Well then, we're all sorted," Carlisle replied. "Come. Everyone's waiting outside."

I sighed and swallowed. _How was I going to do this? How was I going to be able to leave the only family I'd ever truly known?_

Edward carried me to the front door, and I whimpered when he let go of me after setting me down on my feet.

When the door opened, my breath hitched as I saw every single Cullen standing there, all of them sad as they waited to say goodbye to me.

I walked over to them, and Renée turned around.

"Say goodbye, Isabella," she said strongly. "We're leaving now."

In a moment of irrational thinking, I retaliated.

"I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving with you and I'm sure as fuck not with anybody else. No way," I said strongly, looking behind me for a fleeting second as I clenched my fists. The Cullens were all standing there, smiling and showing their support. But it was Emmett and Rosalie that caught my eye; Rosalie was standing there, glaring at my mother, and Emmett's arms were wrapped around her waist tightly holding—no, _restricting_ her.

"Oh, yes you are, little girl," Renée said bitingly. Edward growled from behind me and I thanked god that for whatever reason, only our family and I could hear it. Suddenly, the throbbing pain I felt pain in my jaw intensified and I realized that Renée was gripping my jaw and her nails were digging into my skin. "You will do exactly as I say."

She let go of my jaw and I gritted my teeth at the renewed throbbing as I turned back to the Cullens. I hugged each of them, hating that I was doing this. I couldn't even look into their eyes as each of them pulled me into their arms and whispered their goodbyes in my ear. I was crying by the time I reached Esme.

She cupped my cheeks and kissed my forehead. "Come back to me soon, daughter."

I sniffled and hugged her fiercely back. "I will, Mom. I promise. Take care of Edward for me. All of you. I know he'll be a mess. He'll need you all."

She shook her head as she leaned back. "No. He'll need _you_."

I swallowed and nodded before turning around. Standing there at the end of the line was Edward and I lost it as I looked into his dead eyes. When he wrapped his arms around me so tightly it was like he never wanted to let go—and I knew for a fact that he didn't because I sure as fuck didn't—I felt like I was dying.

But it was nothing compared to what he said.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I love you, Bella."

I nodded into his chest. "Eternally and irrevocably," I whispered, only to feel someone start to pull me back, literally ripped from his arms. "No!"

Edward reached for me as I was violently pulled back toward the car, but he was held back by his brothers. He cried out for me, but it was inhuman, the sound of a tortured animal. It made me cry and struggle harder, before eventually, my knees buckled and I screamed.

I was pulled into the car and buckled in, the door slammed in my face as I cried out Edward's name over and over. I couldn't make sense of anything as he struggled against the restraints of Emmett and Jasper, racing for the car. He fell to his knees on the ground, just as crazed as I was, his hands against mine only separated by glass.

That was the last thing I saw as Renée started the car and drove away. My eyes were on him until I was only seeing trees, greenery, and the dirt road.

I felt empty.

I could no longer make sense of anything, but the last thing I heard before I surrendered myself to the darkness was the howling of a broken, decimated, fractured creature.

And my heart knew it was Edward.

My Edward.

* * *

><p><strong>See? Are you really so sure you wanted to have it now?<strong>

**Anyway, this time you really do have to wait 3 weeks. I'll still be updating on the 26****th**** because there's more than enough time if last night was any proof, LOL… over 6 thousand words in 9 hours (off and on writing, mind you, so about 4-5 hours, actually).**

**As I said in the last update yesterday, both parts will be joined as one chapter in the PDF which will be available as soon as this story is complete... oh, and need I remind you there will be a sequel?**

**Please review and I'll see you at the end of this month, in 20 days. Yes, 20!**

**bexie25**


	27. Drifting Hearts and Minds

**SURPRISE!**

**Early updates all round!**

**I hope you all haven't given up on me. I know you weren't too pleased with the events of the last chapter...**

**Either way, with this chapter up, there's only one more chapter of their separation... kinda. I guess it's technically less than-**

**Never mind. I can't give too much away. You'll just have to wait and see...**

**So, the songs that helped me get this finished in about 5 days were: I Hate this Part by The Pussycat Dolls and Beyoncé's Disappear. Check them out… maybe even listen to them as you read this chapter.**

**They definitely adds something to it.**

**Also, a little surprise... this chapter is in Bella's AND Edward's POV. *Nods* Yep, that's right. But, please keep in mind that this chapter is very choppy as Bella and Edward have no concept of… well, anything really, because of their separation and the way the connection is reacting. **

**Oh, and I think you'll be very pleased by, uh…**_** something**_** that happens in this chapter.**

**That's enough of me yappin' away. **

**Read, review, enjoy!**

**OH! And thanks to the lovely Chandrakanta for betaing this!**

* * *

><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

I cried until my eyes dried up and no more tears could fall.

I cried for Edward. I cried for me. I cried for _us_; I cried for the pain I knew I was putting my mate through, though all we could feel from our connection was this strange, cloudy haziness of nothingness and numbness.

I opened my bag and got out the shirt Edward had given me not long before I'd left. The smell of his scent was still strong, and as I brought it to my nose and wrapped my arms around it, needing any part of him close to me, I wept anew.

His scent grounded me, and gave me the stability of my emotions that I needed, but I just… I couldn't get past the fact that this was all I had of him now… the shirt… my ring… the memories…

That was all.

I had no idea of how many hours or minutes had passed since we'd left, or how far away we were from him.

I had no idea of anything right now.

**~O~**

**EPOV**

I do not know how long I stayed there on my knees, in the very same position I had been in as my love had been taken away from me.

I also do not know when exactly I was moved.

I could see the change of my surroundings perfectly clearly. I could feel the wind whipping around my head, signifying movement.

But I could not measure the passing of time.

Time was insignificant. My Bella was everything.

Whether the current movement was mine personally or those of others who were perhaps carrying me, I could not determine, just as I could not react, nor lash out as I really wished to.

_My mate was gone. She was ripped from my side, and my heart, my soul, and my life had gone with her. I am but a shell, waiting in the wings for my other half to come back to me._

And then… I smelled her.

It awakened me just a little, just enough to give me the strength to fight my way out of the hold of those who had transported me here. I was at least able to stagger toward the scent, noting that it was, in fact, the bed in our cottage, and maneuver my body to lie down and bury my head in the scent of the one person that I needed more than anything, and who was not here.

My head hurt. My heart hurt. My lungs hurt. My arms hurt, my legs hurt. My _soul_ hurt… everything hurt! Everything longed to be near the person who owned them, who completed them.

_But she is not here, _my mind cried.

As did I.

**~O~**

**BPOV**

I wondered idly where Edward was. I wanted to know what he was doing, how he was coping… I just wanted to hear his voice again.

One more time.

Every breath was hard. It was like… a chore. I wasn't breathing for myself, I was breathing for him. But he wasn't here now… and that was because of me.

I could not count the amount of times I got angry at myself, as I sat in the back of this fucking car driving interstate. I could not count the amount of times I whimpered, and sobbed, and pleaded and begged.

Of course, it did nothing.

I wished all this begging and crying would change the skies… that it would change what was happening right now and would give me my sunlight.

Edward.

He was my shining star that gave me direction and meaning in an otherwise meaningless life.

My eyes were forever going back to my phone, seeking it out to see if anything had changed, if there was any reason to my hoping that Edward would call.

But he wouldn't. I knew that.

I dragged my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, laying my head on them. I tried to breathe deeply, but it hurt.

Everything did.

And then my mind went back to Edward again.

I remembered that defining line at the end of Shakespeare's _The Tempest…_

"_Every third thought shall be my grave…"_

It was easy to relate it to this situation. Except, instead of death, it was Edward; every thought I had somehow related back to Edward because, even though I knew he would come for me soon—when he could… when it was safe once again—my thoughts were back with him in Forks, as was my heart and my soul.

I needed him now.

But I wouldn't get him back.

Not now.

Now, I needed to be patient.

**~O~**

**EPOV**

I missed my Bella copiously.

It was strange, this sensation of numbness; it was not as effective for me as I prayed it was for my Bella. Because, even though I was terribly numb, I still felt her absence.

It was everywhere around me.

It was in the scent that was slowly leaving her pillow. It was in the way the house was so darned silent—no laughter, no happiness and nothing that my Bella brought this house could be heard.

It was in the deadness of my heart, my soul and my being.

All of this just made it worse. I wanted so badly for the pain to go away, to hold her in my arms, but she was so far out of reach…

Would I ever see her again? Would I be able to save her from her own flesh and blood?

Would we have the forever I promised her?

Only time could, and would, tell.

**~O~**

**BPOV**

I huffed.

Being patient was sure as fuck not easy.

Not when I knew he was suffering; when I could _feel _it as if it were my own…

Or maybe it was mine. I couldn't be sure now.

The lines were blurred.

I had no way of telling what was real and what was not.

I had no sense of reality and imagination any more.

I had nothing.

**~O~**

**EPOV**

I could not tell how long I was alone for, but something changed after a certain period of time.

A new… a new _scent_ filled my senses.

It made me growl and recoil, hiss and snarl.

"Edward?" I heard a voice say. It was feminine. It was familiar.

But I was too far out of it to remember whose voice it was.

"Edward, baby?"

I growled and shifted further away from the unknown female who was advancing on me.

"Edward, don't be like that," the voice continued to taunt me.

There was still something familiar about it. There were memories filling my mind, hazy and distant but… I could tell that this person's presence could not be a positive thing.

"Edward?" the voice sang, so close now.

I growled and slid further away, taking my Bella's pillow with me.

_Bella…_

I heard the female growl, and my eyes flew open as I shot off the bed. I looked at the female in front of me, and roared.

Tanya.

Her eyes widened, and I could _smell _her fear.

The monster within me, unleashed now because of my mate's absence, growled and I flitted to her, grabbing her by her throat. She struggled, clawing at my hands as I lifted her off the ground and walked steadily to the door.

"Get out," I ground out.

"E-Edward," she gasped as I threw her down on the forest floor.

I growled and crouched. "Get out! Leave! I know you were behind this, Tanya; do not try to deny it. You took my mate from me!"

She whimpered, frozen with fear as I stood over her. I glared down at her form, boring my eyes into hers, smirking as I picked up on her thoughts.

_Oh, god… what have I done…_

"Yes," I spat harshly. "What _have _you done, Tanya? Hmm?"

"I did it for us," she whispered weakly.

I roared so loud the ground shook beneath my feet.

"Never!" I growled loudly, stalking toward her. She crawled further away from me, whimpering in terror as she realized just how far she had pushed me. I swooped down and grabbed her by the neck again. "Do you know what you have done? Do you have _any_ idea?"

"I did what was best for you…"

"No!" I roared. She shook in my arms. "You did what was best for_ you_, Tanya… and your life will be the price."

I dropped my love's pillow from my hands, staring at the harpy in front of me.

With a roar loud enough to cause an avalanche, I relinquished myself to my beast.

**~O~**

**BPOV**

Something was wrong. Something was so, so wrong.

I could feel it in my bones.

Something was wrong with Edward.

My heart turned into hot coal, burning at the thought, as my heart rate sky rocketed.

My body was seized by anger, so powerful it took my breath away. Anger, fear, hatred…

Was this what Edward was feeling?

And if so… why? Who was causing him to feel this way?

Yes.

_Yes_.

There was definitely something wrong.

**~O~**

**EPOV**

I squeezed hard, and watched, my beast satisfied as life drained from Tanya Denali's eyes. Cracks formed on her skin as I squeezed with all my might.

She cried out in pain, though the sounds she released were strangled and incoherent from the strength of my grip.

And as she died, she looked right into my eyes. From the way she was looking at me, I was sure she was searching for something.

But for what?

Love?

Remorse?

I felt neither for her.

In fact, for her, I felt nothing.

I dropped her corpse from my hand. I tried to look at her, but found that I no longer could. The disgust that filled me was too much and I looked away in order to let my anger drain from me now that one third of the threat against my love and our bond was eradicated.

Just as I thought that, Tanya Denali's body seemed to lurch, but I ripped her apart and threw the parts of her away, so far from one another that they had no hope of crawling to each other to make her whole again.

When I heard the pieces of her land, I stopped.

I took deep breaths, my head back, facing the sky, and my eyes closed.

For several minutes I was like this.

When anger no longer consumed me, I ripped the wood from trees and piled it.

I made a fire.

When the flames were large and bright, I raced toward the pieces of Tanya Denali and came back to the fire.

I threw her in and watched her burn…

…Until she was no more.

**~O~**

**BPOV**

It took a long time for the anger to fade from my being as it faded from Edward's.

And still, I was weary.

Edward was weary.

In the meantime, however, I distracted myself with theories and ideas about the new stretch that our emotional connection had taken.

Was it possible that our mental one would as well?

Was it possible that we could speak to one another, hear each other's thoughts?

I'd heard Tanya's when we were practicing with my shield, and Eleazar had said that he could actually read that I already had the power.

So… so perhaps it was possible.

God, I could only hope.

**~O~**

**EPOV**

Eventually, I put the fire out once I was satisfied that Tanya was mere ashes.

When I refocused, and my beast was calmed, I realized that I was now a lot more on task, more aware than I had been before.

I debated, for perhaps two seconds, if this was a good thing or not.

Then I decided that, until I had Bella with me and she was safe again, I was quite sure that nothing would be "ok."

I listened out for thoughts, stretching my mind as far as I could, and found none. I smiled to myself, and went back into the cottage.

I did not stay there for long. As soon as I was inside, I went into the walk-in wardrobe and picked out anything that was saturated with Bella's scent, anything that she had worn recently.

I stripped the bed of the sheets, the pillows of their covers, and took them with me. I felt myself grow even more alert as I breathed in my love's scent and I smiled as I realized that, as with everything, Bella was the key.

When I was ready to leave, I locked up the cottage and prayed that the next time I visited it I would have Bella with me.

Then I closed the door and broke out into a run, heading straight for the Cullen mansion.

**~O~**

**BPOV**

When my Edward's wariness was gone, in its place came determination and focus...

…On both our parts.

It seemed that whatever haze we had been under before was gone now.

We were alert.

I had no idea what had transpired during that time, but whatever it was, it had made Edward—and me—feel a lot better.

I opened my eyes and looked around. My eyes immediately realized, as did the rest of me, that I was no longer in my mother's car.

I was in my bedroom, my old one in Phoenix.

I frowned, confused.

Just how much time had passed since I'd left my mate?

I took a hesitant breath, still wary of my surroundings. I looked down at myself, and took in the goose-bumps on my t-shirt covered arms and the light grey sweats I was wearing. I looked around the room again, my eyes falling on the desk and wardrobe on the far wall, both clinical white—an odd contrast when compared to the grey colored walls. I looked around to the right, only to find that, like with the rest of the room, it was all exactly as it had been before I'd left; my bed, which I was currently sitting on, was still positioned in the middle of the room.

I rubbed my arms, trying to create some warmth through the friction as I shivered from the cold.

I made to get up, not realizing how weak I was because of my separation with Edward. I wobbled as I stood, taking a few moments before I tried to step toward my wardrobe, hoping to find a jacket or something warm to wear.

I staggered again and again, nearly falling several times.

When I reached the wardrobe and opened the door, I found the large bag I'd packed some things into. I picked it up, stunned by how heavy it suddenly was. I was unable to tell if that was, again, because of my weakness or whether it had really been that heavy.

I took it over to the bed and put it down carefully, not wanting to alert my mother that I was awake. I glanced over my shoulder at the door before turning back and slowly unzipping it. I reached in as soon as it was wide enough, and grabbed the first thing I could find.

I pulled it out and gasped. My eyes filled with tears as I looked at Edward's warmest pullover, and I pressed my nose into it, gasping in his scent. Before I could stop myself, I let out a small sob, crushing it to my chest as the tears in my eyes spilled over.

"Oh, Edward," I whispered to myself. "I miss you so much."

**~O~**

**EPOV**

"_Oh, Edward, I miss you so much…"_

I stopped, shocked.

_Bella…_

My head whipped around as I looked for where that came from, but I found nothing. Frowning, I closed my eyes, shook my head, and began to run again.

I slowed to a jog as I neared the house, stopping at the edge of the trees for a moment. I breathed in deeply, and small whiffs of my mate's scent filled my nostrils. I closed my eyes for a moment before I breathed out, opened my eyes, and walked to the door.

It opened before I even reached the bottom steps and in a flurry of movement, my mother flew into my arms. I shuddered, my beast unsettled at being in the arms of someone when my mate was gone; she let go of me, smiling sadly.

"Come, Edward," she said, leading me inside. She pulled me with her as she walked into the dining room, where all of our family plus the Denalis were waiting.

I pulled my arm loose of her grip and turned to the Denalis. "Tanya is dead, and I am the one who killed her. She came to the cottage and tried to convince me that she had taken Bella away from me because we were meant to be together."

I swallowed as Carmen began to sob into Eleazar's chest and Kate into her hands. Irina was the only one who looked angry, the rest sad and grieving.

"That's it?" she screeched, jumping up. "That's all you have to say?"

I swallowed, trying to control my anger as I replied. "What do you wish for me to say, Irina? That I apologize?" I shook my head sharply. "I cannot do that for that would be a lie. I am not sorry; if anything, I am relieved."

She screamed in anger, and in a blur, she threw herself at me. I heard her furious growl as she pushed me into the wall. "She is my sister! How could you do such a thing?"

I looked down at her and when I spoke, it was nothing other than a growl. "_Was_ your sister, actually. And I had every right to do what I did. That wretch has worked against one of the most sacred of the Volturi's laws; she plotted against and separated mates—a pair who share la triple âme connexion at that, as if her actions weren't treacherous enough already—and she did this for her own pleasure simply because she was jealous!

"So, no," I said, frowning as I looked down at her shaking, angered, frightened form. "I cannot apologize because I am glad that Tanya Denali is gone off the face of the earth because of all the trouble that she has caused, especially since I found my Bella. If you wanted an apology, you have come to the wrong man. Your _sister__—_" I hissed the word "—did too much for that."

She swallowed and looked at me for but a moment before she flew from the room and out the house. The sound of the front door slamming was so loud the windows shook.

I turned to everyone else. "Carmen, Eleazar, Kate… I shall apologize to you. I am sorry that you had to lose a loved one because of her actions. I cannot apologize, as I explained to Irina, for my actions, however. I hope you can understand."

Eleazar swallowed and nodded at me once, but it was Carmen who spoke. "Of course we understand, Edward; you eradicated a threat to your mate's safety. I'm sure that's something that all of us can understand; I know I, for one, would do what you did if I had to. I will miss Tanya, but I am truly sorry for the pain and trouble she has caused you and your Bella."

I nodded. "Thank you." I turned to everyone else. "Now, we must discuss things. My Bella is gone and I want her back as soon as possible. I think we should pay a visit to the La Push tribe immediately and see if we can locate Jacob Black."

My family stared at me for a moment.

"What?"

It was Alice that answered. "Jacob is gone, Edward; he left Washington state three days ago, the day Bella left."

**~O~**

**BPOV**

Sitting on the bed, I stared at the wall, not really seeing it.

With every inhale, I breathed in Edward's scent. It calmed me sufficiently, but I knew I was kidding myself if I honestly believed that I would be able to just hide out in here forever.

I closed my eyes, yawning. I was so tired, but for the life of me, I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. Not without Edward here to sing me to sleep, or hum, or hold me. And most definitely not when my mother was in this house, planning God knows what.

To keep myself awake—and as a constant reminder of why I _should _stay awake—I wondered what would happen to me. My mother had obviously made a deal with the devil when she agreed to whatever their terms were.

Who knew what could happen now? Who knew what the scheme could be if I ended up in either Tanya's or Jacob's hands. Tanya would most certainly try to "eliminate the threat"—which was me—and Jacob was convinced that I was his imprint and that we were destined for each other. Either way, it would have a bad outcome; death or fake love with Jacob, with a little abuse—just to make sure I stayed in line and didn't try to get back to Edward.

And in the end, Tanya would get Edward. She would win my mate.

My nostrils flared as fury filled me.

No. No, Edward wouldn't let that happen; he wouldn't just give in willy-nilly. He was mine; there was no way he'd just let her have him. We'd marked each other—not in the traditional mating bite sense, of course—and we'd made love… we'd bonded…

_But… but if it was to save my life… to make sure Tanya and nobody else would hurt me…_

I gripped my chest as a piercing pain resonated through me. I pressed my fist against my lips as I screamed; the pain was so bad now that I felt like a thousand shards of glass were sticking into me.

I heard a loud crash, and my scream turned to one of fright as I looked up.

There was no hiding my terror as my eyes landed on the form in front of me.

I whispered his name.

"Jacob."

He smiled.

"Bella."

I swallowed. My mind was a flurry of panic.

All I could think was: _Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god… no, this can't be happening. What is he doing here? I mean, I knew he'd be here, but… fuck! God, I wish Edward was here..._

**~O~**

**EPOV**

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god… no, this can't be happening. What is he doing here? I mean, I knew he'd be here, but… fuck! God, I wish Edward was here..._

I flinched as I heard my Bella's voice again.

"Bella?" I whispered to myself. I closed my eyes, reaching out to her with my mind. As soon as I did that, all other thoughts disappeared and I couldn't even hear my family as they spoke to me, obviously concerned. _Love, can you hear me?_

I heard a mental gasp. _E-Edward?_

I let out a gust of air, relief and pain flooding through me simultaneously. _Yes, my love. It's me. I can hear you. _

_Oh, Edward, _I heard her sob. _I miss you so much. I _love _you so much. _

I smiled as my throat closed up. I struggled with words for a moment, but made sure I replied as quickly as I could. _Oh, my Bella. Oh, my precious, beautiful girl. Words cannot describe how much I miss you… how much I wish I were there with you, or perhaps in your place. Tell me, my love, is everything ok? Your mother hasn't tried to hurt you yet?_

_No, no, Edward, I'm ok, _my Bella reassured me and I took a deep, shuddering breath. _God, it's so good to hear your voice… even if it is just thoughts. _She paused, seemingly pondering that for a moment._ Huh… I guess Eleazar was right. I can read thoughts… _She marveled at the idea, and when I heard her thoughts again, her mental voice was filled with awe._ Our connections really are beautiful, aren't they?_

I smiled. _Yes, my darling, they really are, _I replied softly before I suddenly remembered what I needed to tell her. _Sweet love, I heard your thoughts before… something is wrong. What is it? And I must tell you something, though I do not believe you will like it._

_What is it, Edward?_

I swallowed, nervous. How was my sweet girl going to react? _Well… Jacob Black has left Washington, my sweet… and we… we think he has come down to Phoenix. So tell me… do you know if Jacob is there? Has anyone come to your door yet?_

_Y-yes, Edward… Jacob's here. That's what was wrong before. I, um, was just… thinking… _I noticed how she stuttered over the word and had to bite my tongue to keep from interrupting her. I quickly refocused on her thoughts_. I started to feel this really bad pain in my chest and I mustn't have muffled my scream loud enough because the next thing I knew, he was in here, Edward. He was in my bedroom… _

My hands curled into fists as I heard her sob again; the panic I was hearing was too much and just as I had tried just… well, apparently three days ago, before my love had left… I tried with everything I could to calm her.

_Hush, my love. Hush, my sweet. Nothing is going to happen to you, ok? I will not let it. _

_It hurts, Edward, _she whimpered, _it hurts so much. I need you here. I need you here with me. I… my arms ache, Edward._

I let out a sob of my own, unable to stop myself any longer. _I know, sweetheart. I know exactly how you feel for I feel the same way. I promise you… Nothing will keep me away from you. Nothing will stop me from getting you back to where you belong__—__with me, at my side. Eternally and irrevocably, my Bella… remember that._

_I will, _she promised me. _I will. But… but, Edward, what about Tanya? What are we going to do?_

I paused, debating whether or not I should tell her. It seemed that we could only hear the other's thoughts if we pointedly thought them with the intention of the other hearing it.

Finally, I gave up; my Bella needed to know.

_She is dead_, I thought quietly.

I was met with silence for several seconds.

_R-really? _she asked, and I was sure I could hear hope in the tone of her mental voice.

_Yes, _I thought to her, swallowing. _I killed her. She came to our cottage with what I could only think was the hope to seduce me, and I killed her. She admitted it, my love; she admitted to using your mother as a way to get you out of the way. She said that we belonged together._

I was met with silence again, and I continued.

_She was wrong, my love. She was always wrong. You know that, don't you?_

I heard Bella sigh. _Yes… yeah, I know that. I just… did she _touch _you?_

I shook my head, though of course she couldn't see it. _No, my dear love, she didn't._

_Good, _she replied gruffly and I smiled at the apparent possessiveness in her tone.

_Hush now, my little tiger kitten; there is no reason for you to work yourself up. I am yours and only yours._

_Yes, _she thought. _Yes, you are. And I swear to you that I am only yours._

I smirked. _Oh, how I wish you were here right now, my love… Hearing those words… it makes me want to take you and claim you as mine. Tell me, sweet… is my scent still saturating your skin? _

She moaned. _Yes, Edward._

I sobered myself after that. _I am glad. I cannot wait to smell it for myself, my sweet. And it will not be long… Now, I forgot to ask you what happened when Jacob came into your room and if he is still there._

_He isn't. He just came in, asked if I was ok, told me he was really happy to see me and that nothing was in our way anymore, that we could be together. I ignored most what he said, told him I was fine and that I wanted to be left alone. He got angry and my shield activated because he started walking toward me. It pushed him out the door and though I can hear him trying to trying to get in, my shield won't let him; the door is closed._

I took deep breaths, forcing my anger down so I could focus on what was important: my Bella.

_Edward? _I heard her think hesitantly.

I took another deep breath, then thought to her, _I'm fine, my love. I am just angry that he treated you that way and that your shield was activated because he is a threat to you now._

_It's ok, _she soothed me. _Everything is fine, I promise you. I will always tell you if something happens… now that I know I can._

I smiled. _Good, my love. I want you to. _

_Edward, baby? I have to go, ok? I-I think I should stay as alert as I can, and that's not possible when we're doing this._

I could hear how much she hated saying those words; it was just as much as I hated hearing them.

_It's ok, sweet girl; I understand, _I thought to her. _I want you safe; you must do whatever you have to to make sure you are safe and sound for me, ok?_

_Ok, _she whisper-thought to me. _I love you, Edward. Goodbye, for now._

_Yes, _I thought back to her. _Goodbye for now._

When I heard no reply, and could hear the concerned thoughts and words of my family, I knew she was gone.

I could only pray that I would get her back as soon as I could.

* * *

><p><strong>See? Not that bad... not that bad at all.<strong>

**And just think, by the end of next chapter they'll be together... _just_. And there'll be a few twists next chapter. I'm gonna play around with their connections some more and, uh, some other characters... **

**So yeah. I'll see you soon. Next update is on the 16th, but it may end up being before that like with this one. *Shrugs* You never know; you might get lucky again. ;)**

**Please review!**

**bexie25**


	28. Taking Flight

**Hello everyone!**

**Sorry this was late, thankfully by only two days. I had some sort of block against my writing (not writers block, because I had ideas and everything, I just couldn't write because I felt like I didn't have enough time… a little something that was left over from my crazy last week of school) until it just broke through today, actually.**

**Explanation of this chapter: basically, this is the chapter **_**before**_** Jacob is killed… but, true to my word, Bella escapes and is reunited with Edward… there's even a surprise for you all in here. Something I just know you couldn't have expected! ;)**

**All BPOV, this one is.**

**Also, I was discussing it with Bubbleybear, and there are only 4 chapters left after this one… including an epilogue. :) Then, of course, there's the sequel, LOL.**

**Anyways… here's this chapter. I hope you like it. **

**Oh, and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to Chandrakanta! She is the best! She beta'd this baby today in something like less than two hours. It was crazy. I love her so much.**

**Read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

><p>I was sick of it.<p>

Two days later, and not much had changed. I had now been away from Edward for a total of five days, and ever since Jacob had come into my room, my shield had been activated.

I hadn't slept in that time either.

Edward tried, several times, to convince me to in the beginning, but once I told him that my shield would probably weaken or deactivate altogether, leaving me vulnerable, his begging ceased. I knew he still wanted me to sleep, but at the same time, he didn't want me in any kind of danger and I was most protected when I was awake because of my shield.

I could also hear the frustration as he wished he could be there to protect me.

I remember asking, perhaps yesterday, why he didn't just come down and get me, but he told me that they were developing a plan, that as much as he wanted to be there already, they couldn't just barge in guns a blazin'.

My words, not his.

And I understood. I really did. In fact, that was what hurt the most.

Because I, too, was developing a plan to get out of here.

Only, I wasn't letting Edward in on the plan.

_Bella? _I heard Edward call me then and I sighed, closing my eyes as I smiled.

_Edward, _I replied. _God, you have no idea how much I needed to hear your voice._

I could hear the ghost of his chuckling and it relaxed me even further. _Yes, my love. I believe I do understand. I miss you terribly._

I swallowed and took a deep, shuddering breath. _How much longer, Edward? Are you close to finalizing the plans?_

_I'm afraid not, sweet. But soon, I promise. _

I sighed. _How much longer? I can't… I can't be without you any longer, Edward. It's killing me; I need you _now_._

_I know, _he told me, and his voice sounded as if he were pleading with me. _Just a little longer, my sweet, beautiful girl, and then I will be with you and we can continue on with our life. _He seemed to pause, and I swore I could hear someone else… a female… Alice? Esme?

I sighed. _They're calling you back, baby. _

_I know, _he replied, sighing, too. _But I don't want to leave you._

I smiled and swallowed back the lump in my throat. Every time I talk to him, it gets harder to let him leave… even though I know he needs to. _Go, Edward. Go and plan so you can come get me._

For several seconds, I could hear nothing. Then, softly, he sighed. _Ok, you are right. I'll be with you again soon, my love._

I smiled. _I know, _I whispered.

When I knew he was gone, I sighed and slumped back against the headrest of the bed.

_I know._

**~O~**

"I will not fall asleep," I whispered to myself, my eyelids drooping. "I will not fall asleep. I cannot fall asleep… I will not—" My soft, pathetic chanting stopped when I yawned, and suddenly, I could hear Edward's voice again, and he was not pleased.

_Bella, my darling, stop this! _he growled. _You are exhausted. You need your rest, my love._

I frowned and shook my head stubbornly. _No, _I told him. _I can't. If I do, then my shield will fall, Edward. I can't let them in here. I have to keep myself safe. I can't… let them… in… _Exhaustion once again nearly came over me and I closed my eyes. _But maybe if I just…_

I jumped when I heard the door handle rattle, and my eyes landed on the door as it just began to open. I whimpered and forced myself, with all the strength that I had left, to keep my shield strong. It shook still as I held it against the door, but it was strong enough for now.

_See? _I cried, sniffling. _Even just trying to close my eyes and relax a little makes my shield drop. It's shaky at best as it is… I can't, Edward. He nearly got in here again!_

_Hush, sweet girl, _he whispered and I let out a sob; his voice sounded so close, as if he were actually whispering the words in my ear, not just in my head. _Hush… _

_Distract me,_ I whispered to him. _Please, Edward… distract me._

_How? _he asked me. _What can I do to distract you, sweet girl?_

_Tell me… _I paused for a second. _Tell me about my father. What's he doing now? Is he ok? He doesn't really know how to cook… is he eating well? I really hope he's not going to the diner._

I heard my Edward's chuckle in my ear. _Charlie is perfectly fine, my dear one. He is staying with us currently, actually; Esme insisted when Alice foresaw that he was going to be eating in the diner. She knew you wouldn't be pleased, so she's taken it upon herself to cook for him: breakfast, lunch, dinner. _

I smiled. _Tell her thank you… and… that I miss them all. _A thought occurred to me, and I couldn't help but ask Edward. _Does he know that you can speak to me through our connection?_

_Yes, love, _Edward replied, and I could hear him chuckling just a little.

I smiled indulgently. _What is it?_

_Well, as I'm sure it is for you, whenever we speak, I go into some sort of… unconsciousness. No one can reach me, and I become unresponsive. I was just remembering the first time we spoke to one another in front of Charlie's presence… oh, my love, he was so very worried! He shouted for Carlisle to come in, and nearly had a hernia when he told him what had actually been happening. _

I laughed. _Oh, my god, seriously?_

_Yes, _Edward replied. _It was so funny, Bella. I never thought a human's face could turn so pale… why, he was almost as pale as I!_

I giggled as I tried to imagine that. The image was just so ridiculous that my stomach hurt with the laughter it caused.

_Ah, dammit, _I heard Edward think.

_What? _I asked, instantly worried.

_Nothing, darling, _Edward rushed to reassure me. _It's just that my presence seems to be needed once again._

I sighed sadly, though I understood. It was merely my selfish wants, needing him and his attention on me more than anything all the time. _I understand, Edward. Go on…_

He seemed hesitant. _Are you sure?_

I smiled. _Yeah, I'm sure. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine as long as I stay awake. _

He sighed, the sound full of worry. _I love you._

My smile widened. _As I love you._

And then I no longer felt his presence, so I knew he was gone.

I tried to stay calm, but the calmer I tried to be, the antsier I got. I wanted to be with Edward now, and my exhaustion was the only thing that was stopping me from being so. If I wasn't so fucking tired, I'd have already left this damned place. I knew I had the power to keep Jacob and my mother away from me; hell, if I had my shield wrapped tightly around me, I could probably walk right past them and they wouldn't be able to touch—let alone, hurt—me.

Then again, the spiteful, bitchy teenager, combined with the vengeful, scheming, and fed-up female mate within me, felt the urge for a little more of a theatrical exit than that.

I wanted something that would just rub their loss, and Edward's and my win, in their face just… just a little more.

And it was that thought right fucking then that made me come up with something perfect as a smirk appeared on my face.

_Now all I need is a little time to organize myself, _I thought, and I jumped off the bed to grab the bag I'd brought with me. I was quick as I turned the bag over and poured everything out. I wasn't taking the whole bag, because even if I managed to do what I hoped to in trying to access Edward's and my baser mating connections' abilities, I knew that that much weight would wear me down pretty fast. And in order for this plan of mine to work, I'd need to be able to last from the second I left this place to the second I reached Edward.

Since I had a few changes of clothes, I took off Edward's shirt—which somehow still smelled a little like him, though I deduced that was probably because I'd been swapping between wearing it and not wearing it in one-hour intervals—and then the rest of my clothes, shivering. I hadn't showered in a couple of days, and I was going to rectify that right now.

_I hope this door still goes to my personal bathroom, _I thought to myself as I turned the door knob. I smiled to myself as my eyes landed on the shower, toilet, and sink, the only things I missed about this fucking hell-hole.

I kept the door wide open, cautious, as always, about my shield's abilities, and opened the shower door. The room itself seemed to be pristine; there were no cobwebs or dust anywhere, so I could assume that Renée had kept it clean.

That sent a wave of something uncomfortable and unsettling through me as I realized that maybe this deal she had with Jacob and Tanya had been just another reason for her to get me back here, instead of _the reason._

I shook that off for further contemplation later as I turned on first the hot water, allowing that to warm up before I turned on the cold to level the temperature to something more comfortable. I kept my hand under the water as I tested the temperature, and when I was satisfied, I gripped the glass frame of the shower as I stepped in; the one thing I hated about this room was how fucking slippery the tiles were during a shower.

I sighed as the hot water hit my skin, and I allowed myself a few minutes to just stand there and let it cascade down my body. I had missed this feeling, especially since I usually showered when I was stressed, or asked Edward to hold me and talk to me. Since I couldn't have the latter, the shower was all I had and fuck, was it working.

After those first few minutes, however, I remembered that I really needed to get a move on, so with a sigh, I dipped my head back, smiling at the feel of the extra weight of the water as it saturated my hair. I unwrapped my arms from around my waist then, and not looking, I grabbed the untouched, somewhat new-looking bottle of soap. I was going to have to wash my hair, as well, but first, I needed to get rid of the goddamn smell… I'd really been out of it the past couple days...

I made quick work of ridding myself of that bad odor smell, and I sniffed under my arms once, just to check, before I moved on to shampoo my hair. I sighed ruefully; it wasn't the strawberries I'd always loved, and that Edward loved, but it would do for now. I was a little upset when I realized that I didn't have a brush here to brush my hair once the conditioner was in, but again, I was just glad to be showering at this point.

I dried myself thoroughly when I was done, squeezing the water out of my hair just enough so it wasn't dripping down my back. I'd always hated that.

I also found, once I was dry, that the shower had woken me up some. Though I was still yawning a little, I was no longer half-asleep with my eyelids drooping every few seconds. I also felt a little stronger and much more aware, something I hadn't felt since I'd been forcibly removed from Edward's arms outside his house.

I refused to look myself in the mirror, knowing that I was hideous at the moment. I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten or had something to drink… and I knew that the lack of sleep I was experiencing would just make that all the worse.

I snorted as I entertained the thought that I'd probably resemble something close to a zombie.

I rubbed myself down just once more with the towel before I walked quickly over to the bed, leaving the towel in the place I'd dropped it on the floor. I quickly grabbed a pair of jeans, a tank top, underwear and a bra. As I pulled the tank top on, I glanced outside, and what a surprise; it was sunny. But I knew that it probably wasn't going to be in Forks, so I grabbed a sweater and tied it tightly around my waist before I picked up Edward's shirt and threw that back on.

I looked once more through the bag for anything else I might want, but there was nothing. I took a deep breath, feeling a little jittery suddenly; to calm myself down, I grabbed my shaking left hand and fixed Edward's ring—_my_ ring—in front of my face. I stared at it for a moment before I closed my eyes.

_It's time._

Slowly but surely, I drew my shield back. Immediately, the sound of Jacob and Renée pounding on the door met my ears. I flinched, but forced myself to continue, my forehead creased as I pulled my shield back just slightly; enough for my captors to realize that something was happening, and enough for them to get ready to come inside this room.

With a trembling voice, I spoke what I hoped would be words that reached Edward and his very soul, where the mating connections that tied him to me were.

"Please, Edward," I whispered to myself, my eyes clenched closed. "Please give me your strength, your speed, your durability, and your courage." I flinched at the sound of my mother and Jacob shouting, banging on the door.

I walked over to the window and peered out down at the ground, only to gulp and close my eyes, a tremor running through my body again.

_I can do this._

Determination filled me as I suppressed the nerves, and I climbed up onto the window sill. I turned to look over my shoulder and narrowed my eyes as I looked toward the door and began to peel back my shield again, this time just enough to let Jacob and Renée enter the room and watch my escape.

They did so immediately, the door flinging open and crashing into the wall loudly, but this time I did not flinch. I watched as their angry expressions morphed to shock as they looked around the room and found me. I smirked and wiggled my fingers cheekily in goodbye before I jumped out the window, simultaneously snapping my shield back to form around my body tightly.

I closed my eyes and clamped my mouth shut to conceal my scream. When I landed on the ground, I landed on my feet, completely unhurt. I frowned for a moment, blinking a few times as I looked first at my hands and then at the rest of my body.

_Huh…_

No injuries.

_It worked, _I thought giddily. _It worked!_

I gasped quickly and threw my shield out so that it blocked their escape from the house. I then smiled and bit my lip, looking over my shoulder, up at said, now-blocked window. Standing there were Jacob and Renée, both beating against my shield futilely and yelling angrily. I wiggled my fingers and cocked my head to the side, smirking as I waved goodbye one more time before I turned around.

I closed my eyes, and sought out Edward's and my connection, smiling when I easily found it. I then let it guide me, giving myself—my mind, my body, my instincts, everything—over to the connections, letting them pull me in the right direction, back to Forks.

**~O~**

The feel of the power—Edward's power—running through me as I ran at vampire speed was exhilarating.

But at the same time, it was a little scary; I'd taken Edward's strength, speed, and durability, but at what cost? Was my mate ok?

I had no idea, but I was going to find out, and hopefully, I was going to find out soon.

I was running pretty quickly, and it seemed I was nearly at the border of Arizona. My only hope was that I wouldn't tire, but with every second, I could feel Edward's power draining out of me. Pretty soon, I knew, I would be back to where I was before I'd accessed our connections.

Tired, slow, and human.

And I was worried about what would happen then. I was already resisting Edward's mental calls, and from the way he sounded—the worry, the anxiety, the fear—I knew that he knew what I'd done.

I could only hope that he wouldn't be too angry when I finally got back to him.

Another thing that seemed to be adding to my problems was my shield. Yes, I was gradually pulling it back to give myself a head start, but it was still wearing my down; each push and shove from Jacob as he tried to drain my power—which, believe you fucking me, was working—felt like a punch to my head.

And it was pissing me the fuck off.

Which, actually, was working to my favor. So, really, it was a cycle; I got tired and felt battered and bruised, then felt pissed off, which added fuel to the fire and kept me going.

_I'm a weird fucking individual, _I thought wryly, a smirk on my face.

I pushed on, trying to ignore Jacob as much as I could. I picked up the pace a little, but tried to moderate it, cautiously aware of how quickly I could drain myself of Edward's power and durability if I wasn't careful.

Just as I reached the border—fucking finally!—something hit me, and I started to feel a little… dazed. All of a sudden, I was completely out of control; I was starting to slow down, the beating I was getting from Jacob grew worse, and I…

I fell.

There was no way to describe whatever-the-fuck this was; one second, I was completely fine, completely _in control_ and the next, I was on the ground, grunting in pain, which seemed to be flaring in my body.

_What the ever loving fuck? _I growled, which cut off as I moaned in pain.

I started to feel a little woozy, and my eyes started to close, though I fought fucking hard against it. Panic filled me, flaring in my heart, making a cold sensation spread throughout my entire body. I whimpered at the desperation I was suddenly feeling; it felt like the world was caving in on me.

And it was at that point that I heard it.

Footsteps.

I forced my eyelids back and gasped for air, looking around. I tried to lift my head, but it was so fucking painful and heavy that all I could do was give up and let my head fall back.

Suddenly, I felt someone standing over me, and my eyes flew open as I tensed. Before me, however, was a beautiful woman. She had a pale complexion, with rich, brown hair that fell in gorgeous curls, a soft jaw and features, and a slight body that matched perfectly with her height, which was somewhere close to mine.

She wasn't speaking at all, simply staring down at me with a deep concern in her eyes. It was strange, the familiarity I could see in her dark eyes; it was almost as if she knew me, though I'd never seen her before in my life.

But then again, the connection I shared with Edward—all three of them—seemed to recognize her, too. Not as a lover or a mate, but as someone that shared the same connection to her mate as Edward and I did.

And that rang a bell…

I almost thought… but no, it was impossible. She was dead, and her mate was forever a shell of his former self.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

She smiled at me, dimples appearing on her cheeks when she did so, and she kneeled down, gathering her long, black, flowing dress in her hands as she did so. "It's alright, Isabella. You are going to be fine. I promise I will not hurt you; I am not the enemy. I am here to help you, Isabella; I am here to take you back to your coven and to your mate. But first, I must know who and where they are?"

I swallowed hard and shook my head, whimpering. All I could think was _Edward._

She smiled. "Little one, we do not have much time," she told me gently. "The separation from your mate has taken its toll, and soon enough, you will fall into a deep depression like my Marcus has. I need you alert for this; completely alert."

I gasped. "Did you just say… Marcus?"

She smiled, but ignored my question as she continued on. "Do you recognize me, little one? No, you don't and you really shouldn't; you may have heard of me and my mate, but you couldn't possibly be able to recognize me at first sight… my Marcus made sure that no one knew what exactly I looked like except for friends…"

"Wha—?"

She hushed me. "I was once a friend of Carlisle Cullen's. I presume you know him? I can smell him all over you… faintly…" Her eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity as she eyed me. "Although, really, it cannot be his scent…" she sniffed again, "but rather that of someone he has sired; his scent is diluted and part of another's whom I can smell all over you."

I frowned, tears welling in my eyes as I looked at her. _What the fuck is she going on about?_

"Calm, pet," she said, smiling down at me. "All I need is for you to nod and give me one word, can you do that?"

I swallowed and locked my jaw.

She sighed. "Isabella, I only mean to help you. I swear it. Would it…" She sighed again. "Would it ease your mind if I gave you my name? And the name of my mate's? I am sure you would know of us; you share the same connection that we do."

I looked at her for a moment before I nodded.

She smiled beautifully. "I am Didyme, child, and my mate is Marcus, Marcus of the Volturi."

I gasped and looked at her in alarm. Was she serious? There was no way… I mean, Didyme was dead!

"Ah," she said, nodding. "So you have heard of me? And my story?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head, the curls, so similar to my own, bouncing with the movement. "I am not dead, child; I have merely been in hiding for my safety. But I really do think we should speak of this later, hmm? First, we need to get you to your mate and away from here. I can smell that mutt that's been following you; he is close."

I trembled. "Hush, Isabella. Just give me one word. Where am I to take you?"

"Forks," I gasped. "Forks, Washington."

She smiled and nodded her head once. "Forks it is. Now I want you to close your eyes for me… can you do that?"

I shook my head.

"Oh, please, little one," she said. "You need your rest; that shield of yours has worn you out."

I sighed, and begrudgingly, I did so, though I tried not to fall asleep.

"That's it," Didyme whispered. "Fall asleep, little one; you will be with your mate once again shortly."

**~O~**

Against my wishes, I did actually fall asleep.

It was only when I was shaken slightly and Didyme's voice called my name, telling me to wake up and that we were nearly there, that I woke up.

The first thing I saw was Didyme's face as she smiled down at me. "Hello, little one. I imagine you feel a lot better now, huh?"

I looked at her for a moment before I nodded. "Uh, yeah… um, where are we?"

She chuckled. "Impatient, I see. We are just reaching Forks now, actually. I ran a little slower while you were sleeping, just a precaution."

I blinked. "Ok," I said flatly. "Um, so how—"

I gasped then, as a beautiful feeling filled my heart before spreading through my body; it was calm, serenity, happiness, sunlight, love…

It was Edward…

I gasped as I felt Edward's presence around me once again, much like I had when he'd left my house after my mother had all but forced him to leave. I knew, like I had then, that he wasn't all that close, but the queasy, hollow feeling I'd grown accustomed to over the past several days suddenly vanished and tears welled in my eyes as I finally felt the safety of Edward's presence for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Oh my god," I choked, swallowing as I grasped at my chest. I looked up at Didyme, who was smiling down at me happily, and gasped, "Please, oh please, hurry up! Run as fast as you can, please!"

She nodded, and immediately, the wind picked up around my face. I closed my eyes though, and basked in the feeling of being close to Edward; though it was not as close as I wanted, it was better than what I had felt beforehand, and I knew that, though I'd never taken Edward for granted, I would never, ever—under any circumstances—voluntarily leave him again.

'_Cause seriously… what the motherfuck was I thinking?_

With each second, I could feel my strength and wellbeing lift as Didyme ran through the miles of forest. Suddenly, we were flying through the air and I quickly looked down to see the river that flowed so close to the Cullen home. A million emotions flooded through me, so fast and strong, I could hardly speak as I looked back up toward the secluded Cullen house, which I could just see through the trees.

Didyme slowed as we neared the clearing and my heart pounded furiously in my chest; we were so close now, I could practically _feel _his touch, _hear _his voice… it was like he was right next to me, standing by my side and pulling me into his safe, protective arms; ones that I never wanted to leave again.

"Put me down, please," I whispered and immediately, I felt my feet touch the ground. I took a deep breath.

_Edward, _I thought, reaching out to him.

_Bella? _I heard him call back.

I smiled. _Baby, come outside._

_Wha… Bella, what's going on? I… I can hear the sound of your heartbeat. _I could hear the hope in his voice, though he tried to push it down, for fear that it was just what he was hearing through our mental connection.

_Come outside, _I urged him. _Please, my love._

I opened my eyes again, not bothering to hear his reply; I knew he would do as I asked.

I looked at the Cullen's front door and waited. I knew he'd come out of that door, and god, everything in me was hungry to see him… I had missed him so fucking much.

Seconds later, I saw Edward's silhouette as he gripped the door knob. His head was bent forward as he looked down and I faintly saw his shoulders move as he took a deep breath.

And then the door opened, and he stepped out into clear view.

My breath hitched and my hand flew up to my mouth as a sob ripped through my chest. The tears that I had kept at bay welled again and streaked down my face as my eyes flew over every inch of him.

_Oh, Edward, _I couldn't help but think and his head snapped up, his eyes not looking around as they immediately landed on me.

They widened in shock and relief, and I watched as his face crumpled as his eyes searched my body. I was shaking as I reached out for him and took a step forward, and suddenly, he was right there, in front of me.

"Edward…"

"Bella…"

And then he slowly, shakily, reached out to touch me, as if he couldn't believe I was really here. I could relate though, as I could hardly believe it myself. I whimpered, my eyes closing as his fingers softly glanced over the skin of my cheek, barely touching me.

With everything that I was feeling, each beat of my heart was almost painful as it sang out my relief; it was so loud that I barely heard it when he spoke.

"Oh, God… you're here," he whispered in awe.

"I'm here," I whimpered, my hands clenching and unclenching, needing to touch him.

But before I could blink, I was in his arms, and his lips were moving against mine. I melted into his embrace, my hands flying up to his hair as his arms tightened around my waist and he growled against my lips. I whimpered again, unable to help it, as he forced his tongue through my lips, the same neediness and desperations I was feeling obvious in his every touch as his hands caressed the skin of my back and hips, his hands grasping at my flesh, grounding both of us.

When I needed to breathe, he pulled back, only to gather me in his arms, lifting me off the ground by my ass as he wrapped my legs around his hips. He pressed his nose into my hair and breathed in deeply, and I shuddered as he breathed out, tilting my head back to press my nose against his cheek and rub it slowly and softly along his skin as I inhaled his scent, needing to feel and breathe him in again after so long.

"I love you," we both whispered and I smiled as he tightened his arms around me, unwilling to let me go.

Finally, I was home.

* * *

><p><strong>How was that, huh? And yeah, Didyme is alive and well. Unfortunately, that won't be discussed and explained until chapter 28 (this is chapter 26) 'cause Jacob's gotta die and Edward and Bella need to… reconnect ;)<strong>

**See you on the 7****th**** of May, though considering I'm on holidays it might****—****MIGHT****—****be only a week or two.**

**No promises on that one, mm'k?**

**See ya later, please review,**

**bexie25**


	29. A Rabid Dog's End

**Hello everyone!**

**I'm so sorry this is verging on two weeks late. I was just having so much trouble with this chapter until about two days ago. But now it's finally ready, and I really hope you like it. I am really quite pleased with it myself. :D**

**So, this is the chapter where... no, I won't tell you. Even though you know already. ;)**

**Ok, not one to keep you much longer, I'll keep it short and sweet.**

**Thanks to Chandrakanta for her endless help with this chapter and the whole story. **

**And for all of you... read, review, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Home.<p>

As I breathed in and out, my breaths perfectly timed with Edward's as we held each other for dear life, I reveled in the peace and wholeness I felt. Every time Edward held me, love, happiness and calm filled my being and I was content.

But the peace, happiness, wholeness and love that encompassed me right in this moment were short-lived. Moments later, two things happened: Edward tensed, a low growl building in his chest, reverberating through his body as it escaped his mouth, and a cry was released somewhere behind us.

My first priority was Edward, of course, so I looked to him first. He was glaring toward the woods, his arms wrapped tightly around me, and for a moment I would have thought he was glaring at Didyme, but I knew that was impossible. I also knew, just from his face, the look in his eyes, that he was now able to hear Jacob's thoughts. I whimpered, unable to stop myself, and squeezed my eyes shut, my fingers clenching as I tried with all my might to push him back with my shield.

_I need more time, _I whisper-thought to myself. _God, please just work. _

Edward gasped then, his eyes snapping up, and the commotion made me look up at him. From the surprise and pride in his eyes, I knew I'd succeeded.

I smiled.

"You're doing that?" he whispered, awe saturating his tone. His fingers flexed around my waist and I blushed.

"Yeah," I whispered back. "I, uh, I've been keeping him away since I ran here. And then Didyme found me and she told me to sleep and that we were far enough in front, so I slept a little as she ran me the rest of the way."

Edward opened his mouth, about to ask something, when Didyme stepped forward. Urgency colored her tone as she spoke to us, her eyes darting between us and the woods. "If we are to talk before he arrives, we must do so now." She turned to Edward. "Your mate's power drains her of her energy significantly, as I am sure you are aware from the mental contact you have shared for the past few days." When we gaped at her, she smiled. "All will be explained, children. Though I have reason to believe you already know of my story."

I nodded and Edward looked at me. I smiled, took his hand and leaned in. "We don't have time, Edward, but we'll explain later. We need to get ourselves ready for Jacob's arrival. She's right; I can't handle blocking him too much longer and I really want to see my family again before we end him."

"Speaking of, love," Edward said, smiling down at me. Wordlessly, he put me down and stepped aside. Frowning at him for a moment, I turned my head and immediately gasped as tears welled in my eyes.

"Mom?"

"Oh, Bella, my child," she cried. In a flurry of movement, I was in her arms. As she hugged me tightly, murmuring in my ear, her words faded away. As I clung to her, crying enough tears for the both of us, I finally reveled in the feeling of belonging, of being totally and utterly safe, where I need and want to be. Though I'd already felt this way when reunited with Edward, this was different.

This was the only mother I'd ever truly had.

"Oh, my dear child, you're home at last!" she said once again, cupping my cheeks and looking into my eyes.

I smiled at her and nodded, taking deep breaths. "I am. I missed you so much."

She smiled at me the only way a true mother could. "And I you, child. You have no idea of the happiness I feel having you back in my arms!" With an arm still around me, she looked back over her shoulder. "Oh, Carlisle, our daughter is home!"

"So she is," he said, smiling at her before he began taking long strides. When he stopped before us, he drew me into his arms. "Welcome home," he whispered in my ear.

"Thank you," I whispered back, trying to control myself. The last thing I needed was to lose it.

Quickly, I was passed on from one pair of arms to the next. As first Emmett, Jasper, then Rosalie, and finally Alice hugged me, welcoming me back, happy I was safe and not hurt, I became aware of the fact that I was losing it. And at the same time, I knew I couldn't afford that; I hadn't even seen my father and I was already a mess.

_Dad…_

My breath hitched, and suddenly I wanted nothing more than to see Charlie, hug him, and never let him go. I'd never really thought I had a strong connection to him… I mean, yes, he was my father, but I hadn't grown up with him. Yes, my mother was abusive, but I had never lived with anything else. And then I'd moved here and suddenly everything had changed.

Now that I was here, with Edward, and the family I knew I was destined to have, I could not help but need my father even more. Perhaps that was because he was the final true link to humanity I had, but in any case, I was happy he knew what the Cullens were, for I wouldn't lose him completely.

What pained me now, more than anything else, was his absence, and my inability to call him now. It just was not feasible; we hadn't the time for that. At any rate, this reunion would be a hasty one. There was not even time for a proper introduction of Didyme to the family, though I was sure they'd not noticed her yet.

At that thought, I stepped back and out of my adoptive father's arms. Looking at my 'forever' parents, I stepped back even further and looked to Edward. He smiled at me immediately and I was then in his arms, his front pressed against my back. I sighed at the feeling, having missed it despite the short—in comparison to just prior to this for the past few days, that is—time that had passed since his arms had last been wrapped securely and lovingly around my waist.

"I, um," I said before clearing my throat. I lifted my head and looked at Carlisle and Esme before looking toward the woods where Didyme was standing. She smiled, nodded, and then slowly walked out from the shadows. "Carlisle, Esme, I—"

They gasped then, and I knew they'd seen Didyme. She walked right up to them without a moment's hesitation and held out her hand. "Carlisle Cullen, Esme Cullen. I have heard a lot about you, and you about me, though at this point in time, I cannot reveal how. We do not have a lot of time, but it seems your daughter wanted you to meet me. I helped her get her so quickly; I could smell your coven on her and detected her through the _la triple âme connexion _that she shares with her mate, the same one that I share with mine. I will, as I said, explain this later, though. We haven't the time for pointless matters when you must prepare yourselves. This rabid dog seems intent on his claim on young Isabella and I am afraid the only solution is a fight to the death."

Fear struck my heart at her words, though I'd known all along that this was the only way. I whimpered; my hands, which I'd placed over Edward's around my waist, clenched over his tightly and he hushed me, running his nose along my neck. In the blink of an eye, he turned me around and wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"All is fine, my sweet girl," he whispered to me. "Nothing will happen to me, I swear. There are eight of us, and one of him. You have not a thing to worry about."

"I know that," I whispered back, my arms winding around his neck as I leaned my forehead against his and closed my eyes. "I really do know that, but I guess I just… I'm scared. I can't handle this, Edward. I can't… I can't let anything happen to you. And while I can't physically get involved, I want you to know that my shield will be around you the whole time. It's the only way I could keep even a sliver of sanity in me."

Behind us, I could hear Jasper begin to quickly section people off as he organized us in a plan of attack. I frowned though, remembering Jacob's proximity. Edward was unable to hear him any longer, yes, but the risks of him hearing at least some form of the plan were risks I was not ready to take.

And so, with all my might, I gripped Edward's hands, closed my eyes and pushed him physically farther away.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked urgently, frantic with worry. "Bella, my darling, what is wrong?"

"Nothing," I panted breathlessly. "I'm just… pushing Jacob… further away… can't… let him… hear us."

"Bella, darling, don't push yourself," I heard Esme say somewhere from the left.

"She's right," Edward whispered. "Please, sweet girl, don't over-exert yourself."

With a grunt, I stopped. Sagging against Edward just a little, I kept my eyes closed as I tried to regulate my breathing.

"I don't think you need my opinion, Isabella," I heard Didyme ponder aloud. "It's best you are alert and ready when this werewolf comes. And besides, there is not much left to discuss. Your mate will defend you, and I think it wise to kill him, young one," she said and I knew she had her eyebrow raised at my Edward just from the tone of her voice. "He is not of sound mind."

"No, he is not," Edward replied, a darkness sweeping through the tone of his voice. "Far from it, from the glimpse I got of his mind before. I think you are right, ma'am—though I was already planning it, the only option is to end him."

His voice had turned gruff with anger, and, strangely, more beautiful. When he cupped my cheek, I looked up at him and he smiled. "Sweet love, it's time. I think you need to let him come now. It is time to end this once and for all."

I nodded, swallowed, and closed my eyes. My fingers curled into fists and my brow puckered as I concentrated hard, first sensing my shield and then quickly manipulating it. Slowly, but surely, I pulled it back, measuring the pace at which Jacob followed. He must have instantly known that it was receding because I could feel the pressure as if it were a blow to my body as he poked and prodded. I grunted, my arms snaking around my midsection and I heard Edward growl just a second or so before I registered his arms around me as well. The cold soothed me, or maybe it was just Edward's touch combined with the growl—my growl—and the pain left me almost immediately.

I sighed and opened my eyes warily. "It's peeling back slowly. Jacob knows; he's pushing against it. Really hurts actually," I chuckled breathlessly. "Or, it did before you wrapped your arms around me." I looked up at Edward with a quirked eyebrow, only to see him smiling.

"I'm glad you're not in pain anymore, sweetheart," he said simply. I giggled, shook my head, and leaned back against him with a sigh.

I still couldn't believe I was with him again.

I knew the moment my shield had receded to a three mile radius, for Edward's arms tightened around me and I heard the ghost of a snarl building in his chest. I turned immediately in his arms and wrapped mine around his neck. Threading my fingers into the hair at his nape, I forced him—well, as much as I could, anyway—to look at me.

"Calm, baby," I whispered. "He can't touch me."

"I know," he growled, swallowing harshly and flexing his jaw. He crushed me to him protectively and I continued to breathe in deeply as my heart rate picked up from the electricity that was thrumming from his body into mine and back again. "But that does not make it easier to hear his thoughts."

I sighed and tugged on his hair harshly, making him look at me. I raised an eyebrow. "I love you, Edward Cullen. _You_, not him. When you fight him, you fight him with everything you can. You fight hard, you hear me?" I told him fiercely. "I don't care what you have to do, Edward. I really don't. And I want you to use this anger and frustration and whatever else you're feeling to your advantage. Take it out on him."

He stared at me before he swallowed and nodded just once. "Of course," he said calmly, but there was something in his eyes that left me feeling slightly unhinged… "I will fight him to the death; no need to worry about that. It is just… the things that he thinks about you… they're thoughts that only I should ever have; images and fantasies that belong to me, just as you do."

I smiled. "I do, Edward. I belong to you in every way possible. You know that."

He nodded again, a small smile on his face. "I do know that… and I love you, too."

My smile grew and I bit my lip, resting my head on his chest. "How far away is he?" I whispered. As much as I hated myself for ruining the moment with the thought of Jacob, it was a question that had to be asked. I needed to know when exactly I needed to drop the shield completely and then wrap it around Edward and myself only.

I wondered idly if I should encase the others of our family in it, too, and wasn't quite sure. Of course, there was really no need to shield anybody, but I'd be damned if I had this power and didn't use it to protect my own mate. It went against everything: every instinct, every need, every thought, every action.

Plus, there was the fact that the others could protect themselves, and their mates—especially with Jasper here. So, there was no need. And then, of course, there was what Didyme had said about me needing to me alert during the… the fight.

So, no; I wouldn't protect them. I'd be in big trouble if I did—with Edward, with Esme, with Didyme… with everyone, really.

A low growl from the direction of the trees drew my attention, breaking me from my reverie, and I gasped, turning toward it as I walked backward on instinct. I peered between the trees, hearing the panting breaths, low, sinister growls, and thumping footfalls of a large beast.

I knew it was Jacob, and that fact scared me more than anything. I vaguely, for perhaps a second, in fleeting thought, acknowledged how skewed that was—in all actuality, I should feel that way about Edward, and feel safe when with Jacob… since he was the protector of humans and all.

I shook my head and quickly drew my shield back again one final time, wrapping it tightly around Edward and myself. To make sure it was doing its job, and… well, because I couldn't really do anything else at this point in time, I looked at Edward. My eyes were glued to him as he growled himself and stepped forward.

"Come forward, dog, and face me," he said. His tone could only be described as animalistic. He sneered then, and said, "Unless you are too much of a coward to face your own death."

His tone was mocking, and Jacob did not like to be mocked, it seemed. All of a sudden, Jacob made his presence known; a growl resounded from the tree line and my heart skipped before thundering a new, throbbing, painful beat. My eyes remained on Edward as I subconsciously shifted closer to him. He looked at me and shook his head, but I smiled and tapped my temple, hoping he knew what that meant. He seemed to, for he relaxed, nodded and smiled. He waved me to his side and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Shields?" he whispered.

"Yes," I whispered back, "but around just the two of us. I figured the others could protect themselves. Plus, this is more for my sanity than our safety. I know you can protect us." I smiled up at him and he kissed me chastely on the lips.

"Stay back and be safe," he mumbled against my lips before he let me go and took a few steps forward. His attention was on Jacob now, a fact I knew because when he spoke again, his tone was harsher, his voice louder. "I do not have all day, mongrel. I fully intend to bed my mate many times before the day is through." He smirked as I gasped, gaping at him in shock. Then I giggled and shook my head, amazed.

"I'm open to that," I said and he purred, making me moan softly.

That seemed to be the limit for Jacob, and with a roaring growl, he stalked forward from the tree line and into the open daylight. His top lip was curled back and I could see his spit drooling from his mouth as he growled at my mate, his eyes riveted to him. I could see the murderous, crazed look in his eyes and it quite honestly scared me. He stopped about ten yards in front of Edward and dipped forward, raising his haunches as he growled again. I took another instinctual step toward Edward.

"Be safe, baby," I whispered before I could help myself. "He's really not in his right mind."

"I know; that's why I want you to stay back. And I will, darling." My mate paused for a moment before he called over his shoulder, "I love you."

I smiled despite the stress that was plaguing me. "I love you."

"Did you hear that, mutt?" Edward asked condescendingly, a smirk playing on his lips. "She loves _me_. And if the thundering of her heart means anything, it's that she's afraid of you. _You _scare her, dog, not I."

I kept my mouth shut, letting Edward have this. This was something he'd waited so long to do, and more than that, it was something that needed to happen. I was beginning to get awfully frustrated with myself; the more I thought about it, the more I hated the fact that I'd ever made it seem as if I was choosing between the two of them. In my heart of hearts, I knew there was no choice—Edward was it for me, just as I was for him; we were mates, destined for only each other for all eternity.

And eternity we would have.

I felt like I was partly to blame for this. If I had never spent time with Jacob to appease my father and Billy, none of this would have happened. If I hadn't started going over to their house on the rez, or opened my big fucking mouth about Edward, it wouldn't have either. And if I'd just realized what Edward meant to me earlier, I wouldn't have fucked around—not literally, obviously—and caused my only love pain.

But I couldn't blame only myself. Billy was also to blame. He had convinced his son that we were meant for each other, that Jacob had imprinted on me, or at least that we had some sort of deep connection.

Surely he knew it couldn't be farther from the truth? Honestly, I didn't know. Something told me that Billy was just trying to do what he perceived to be the right thing. In some way, I could see that his heart was in the right place—or he thinks it is, anyway—and for that, I couldn't really be angry at him.

Or maybe I could. I didn't know. I was very confused right now, my mind fraught with panic for my mate's life and wellbeing.

A loud growl brought me back to the present and I gasped, instinctively gripping my chest as I looked for Edward. Somehow the fight had already started, and there Edward and Jacob were, moving so fast they were just a big messy blur. I whimpered, hating that I was unable to tell who was winning and losing.

I wanted to do something, but I couldn't, and it frustrated me more than anything. I was alert, eyes wide open as I tried to break through the blurriness of what was happening before me and actually fucking _see _something. Flashes of pale white and russet brown, sounds of growls and the occasional howl resounded in the small space we were in and the sounds, the blows upon blows that were being unleashed, were deafening.

My hands were clenched as I wrapped them around me, swallowing. I tried to regulate my breathing but it wasn't working and my mind literally froze as the panic overcame me. I had no knowledge of anything; I hadn't any idea if Edward was alright or not, of whether Jacob had somehow broken through my shield… if the shields were even working and protecting Edward as they were supposed to.

I whimpered at the last one. Surely they were… I was his mate. I had to at least be able to fucking protect him with this!

My head literally throbbed with the onslaught of disturbing images and possibilities that were running through my mind, but I tried to squash them down, knowing that all this was just distracting Edward from the task at hand. I needed to somehow stop myself from reacting, just… cut that part of me off. It wasn't going to help Edward, or get me anywhere.

"Bella, calm down, dear," I heard Esme say from somewhere behind me. I nodded and pressed my hands against my diaphragm, clenching my eyes closed as I breathed in and out harshly between my teeth, creating hissing sounds.

_He'll be ok, he'll be ok, _I chanted in my head, in time with my breathing, slowly, soothingly. _He can do this. You're protecting him. Feel your shields. They're working, aren't they?_

I didn't have time to check on them; suddenly, I heard a cry of pain and my eyes snapped open. My eyes landed on Edward and Jacob, who were both now still. I sighed with relief; Edward was unharmed, and on the ground was Jacob. Only, now, he was in his human form, naked as the day he was born. His face was screwed up into an expression of great pain, and on closer examination, I could see a large, deep gash across his chest. I gasped, my hand flying up to my mouth as bile rose in my mouth.

"Did you really think you could best me, dog?" Edward asked smugly, smirking down at his forlorn opponent. "I must say, I am quite disappointed, Jacob Black. I was expecting some grand fight from thoughts you were throwing at me, and all I got was this." He gestured at himself, looking down as he continued, "a torn shirt. Really, Jacob, can you do no better than that? Are you so pathetic as to go down without a fight? What would your father say, hmm?"

_Edward, don't! _I screamed in my mind. _Don't taunt him!_

Jacob growled something that, at least to me, sounded like an unintelligible mumble. Edward obviously understood him though, for he barked a laugh, throwing his head back. He blurred then, his laugh ending abruptly, and all of a sudden he was crouching over Jacob. "Fight me," he growled.

A cold chill ran up my spine and I shivered. I refused to see them fight any longer, so in a split second decision, I shifted my shield from Edward onto Jacob, my arms flying up as I used them to manipulate the force fields and Jacob. He began to shout and thrash as I constricted them around him, squeezing him so tight that eventually, he couldn't move and could hardly breathe. By the end of it, I was panting harshly from the exertion, and looked over at Edward.

_Thank god, once they've been put into position, they hold steady, _I thought to myself, wiping my brow. _Ew. I'm sweating._

He was staring at me with an eyebrow raised. I blushed and shrugged. "Sorry," I whispered, before I glared at him, raising an eyebrow of my own. "But there is no way in hell you are having a 'real fight' with him, Edward. I will not watch you or rather, try to make sense of the blurring objects flying around with all those fucking cryptic sounds. No siree, I will not." I crossed my arms. "This way, you can do whatever you want with him, and he will have to bear it. Think about it Edward. That's worse isn't it? Being subjected to pain and having no power to stop it? Plus, I won't go crazy angry at you and then throw myself at you when you've won."

He smirked. "Maybe I want you to throw yourself at me," he purred and my breath hitched.

Shakily, I breathed in and out before I answered him. "That may be, but it's not happening today. Tonight though, definitely," I said with a wink.

He growled and I giggled, loving the way I affected him. He took a few deep breaths to refocus himself. Looking down at Jacob, he asked, "Will I be able to touch him?"

I looked over at Jacob for a second before looking at him. "Well, I think so. Go ahead and try."

I tightened the shields just slightly as Edward stepped closer. Slowly, he brought his foot up and pressed it down on Jacob's forearm. The answering snap and then scream was enough to make Edward smirk again and he smiled up at me. "I agree with you, darling; it is much better to see him helpless and squirming. Quite amusing, yes..." he trailed off.

He turned around and faced the rest of our family, his eyes landing on Carlisle. "Carlisle, you should leave if you can't handle it. I know how much you value human life more than any of us. I want you to know that this will be painful, and drawn out. You know the way in which I intend to do this, and you know how gruesome it is."

I finally turned to look at Carlisle. Though I was curious about what way Edward was planning on doing this, I wanted to know how Carlisle would respond. Would he leave? Or would he stay in support of his family?

Carlisle's lips were pursed as he stared at Edward, his eyes narrowed slightly from how hard he was thinking. There was a heavy frown on his face, and when he swallowed, his jaw locked. I felt for him, knowing how hard this was on him; it was in the look in his eyes, the way they were glazed over and hard. He was angry, but he was also struggling, his morals warring with the protective father and coven leader who would do anything for the safety of his family.

He sighed. "No, Edward, I will stay. I must because I will not stand for the ill treatment of my family. Jacob deserves this, and though I know it will damage our treaty with the tribe, I know that this is the right thing to do. Perhaps not the _moral _thing, but it is the right thing."

Esme wrapped her arms around her mate then, and as she pressed her lips to his temple, I looked at Edward. His narrowed eyes were fixed on his father, his mentor, and I could tell he was a little incredulous by what Carlisle was saying. He looked down, swallowed, and then nodded before he turned back around to face Jacob. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Carlisle swallow as well, squeezing his eyes shut before he opened them again.

Edward crouched down next to Jacob and my forehead creased with stress as I pinned Jacob down even further. I watched with bated breath as Edward spoke, his voice much quieter now and calmer… but so much more deadly.

"Do you know how vampire venom affects your kind, Jacob?" he asked pleasantly. Jacob said nothing, instead staring straight up at the sky. "You don't?" Edward grinned. "Well, that's a shame." I heard Jasper and Emmett's chuckling behind me, but paid them no mind. Instead, I watched Edward intently, curious as to what he would do. "I suppose I'll just have to show you."

And then, with just his nail, he made a long slit on Jacob's forearm. Gathering up a few droplets of blood in his hand, he smirked down at Jacob before he very deliberately spat into his palm. Holding my breath and taking a few steps forward, Jacob and I watched as his blood began to pop and sizzle.

Jacob gasped, his eyes widening in horror and much to Edward's amusement, he thrashed. I groaned in pain as he fought the shield, trying to turn his head. Edward's smile dropped from his face and his chuckle ended abruptly as he growled, grabbing Jacob's chin and forcing him to look at his own blood as it sizzled and popped like boiling water. "No, Jacob. _Watch_," he growled.

He struggled to regained composure, swallowing convulsively and locking his jaw a few times. I wanted to go to him and calm him down, but knew that this was not the time. At a loss as to what to do, I simply hugged myself as I watched him. "I've never seen this happen myself, but I have seen into the mind of one who has. According to him, it was fairly painful and the creature longed for death long before it was granted to him. But don't worry, Jacob. At the rate of how fast you are bleeding, I'd say it will be much faster for you. A shame, really, but know, little pup, that I will enjoy each and every one of your cries. And when you scream and beg for death, I will simply stand and watch, with a smile on my face as I hold _my _Bella in my arms."

And then he bent down over Jacob, who squirmed and thrashed and shouted. I constricted the shield around him, letting out a grunt as he struggled before he stilled again. Edward's lips draped back, his teeth exposed as he stared into Jacob's eyes. His hand blurred, and then a moment later, Jacob was screaming and Edward was pulling me into his arms, watching stoically as my former best friend turned enemy slowly but painfully died in front of us.

* * *

><p><strong>How was that? Ok? Good?<strong>

**I liked it. I'm sorry it wasn't more descriptive when it came to Jacob's death, but I really couldn't stand to drag it out any longer. **

**Anyways. There's the chapter, and I'll see you soonish with the next one. Speaking of, the next one I, uh... I think you'll like.**

**Let's just say there's a lemon warning. ;)**

**Please review!**

**bexie25**

**P.S. I think you'll be glad to know that the next chapter is set to be a long one. We all know I write long lemons, so... :D**


	30. Revival

**Hello everyone**

**A lot has happened in the past few weeks which has impinged on my time and of course my emotions. My Aunt died suddenly of a very aggressive cancer, and I've had lots of assessments at school. But this is my final week, so I'm going to be trying to update twice in the holidays - that would mean I'd only have the epi to do when I got back to school, and that will most likely be half the length of a normal chapter... so, about 2,500 words!**

**And then we have the sequel... give me a month on that, alright? I need to make it out and all that...**

**Now, I understand some of you thought that Jacob's death was too brutal and cold-hearted, but it needed to happen. Jacob was insane and Edward, for the safety of his family and his mate, had to make the decision. It was not just him wanting to kill Jacob to get back at him for it.**

**Also, the lemon is not **_**as**_** graphic as some of the ones in this story are; it focuses more on the healing of their connection and partially of themselves as well.**

**Just one more thing... for those who aren't in the FB group (you are missing out on sneak peeks and photos), the question was asked as to whether the separation of Edward and Bella will affect their relationship.**

**This was my response:**

_In short, the answer is yes, but the affect is not long-term or all that bad._

_Particularly in Bella, there is a deep fear that for whatever reason they will be separated again. She is very on edge and simply wants to stay with Edward in their cottage where she feels they are the safest. She does not wish to leave and is very upset when she does._

_She also blames herself for what happened because she chose to leave willingly thinking it was the only option. She hates herself for the pain she put Edward through. She also, as you read, at least in part blames herself for Jacob's death and his madness._

_It's essentially how it was between them in the beginning, with Bella feeling she has to explain herself whenever she suggests something, etc. and this has her very frustrated._

_However, it will definitely not last forever and what happens in the second half of the next chapter definitely helps!  
><em>

**Anyways... please read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

><p>When Jacob Black was dead, I pressed my cheek against Edward's and closed my eyes. I could vaguely feel him talking, but from the speed and the volume, I knew that if I looked up it would merely look as if his lips were quivering. I heard two people walking away then, and when I opened my eyes, Jacob's body was gone, as were Emmett and Jasper.<p>

I looked up at Edward. "Where are they taking him?" I asked softly.

Edward looked down at me and cupped my cheeks. "Back to the Quileute reservation," he said simply. "We have no animosity with the rest of the tribe, bar Billy, and they deserve to respectfully bury their brother. We at least owe them that, I suppose."

I smiled, cupped his cheek, and leaned up on my tippy toes to kiss his lips. "I love you, Edward."

He smiled down at me, tightening his arms around my waist. "I love you, too," he whispered, "so much. You have no idea how happy I am to have you in my arms again."

I sniffled, my throat closing up. After the past few days, I felt drained—emotionally and physically. I wanted nothing more than to be alone with Edward, my mate, for the next few days, ignoring the rest of the world. We needed that as a mated couple who'd been separated, something so traumatic that no one would ever wish it on their worst enemy.

"Edward, I…" I whispered hoarsely, my eyes shifting between his lips and his eyes every few seconds. "I need…"

"Shh," he hushed me, pulling me closer to him. He leaned his cheek against mine and first purred loudly, making me shiver. But then he growled my special growl and I was overcome; I whimpered, tears welling in my eyes as I sagged against him. He gathered me up in his arms, picking me up bridal style, and with a few murmured words to his family, we were off.

The wind blowing against my skin, making my hair go crazy, was the only indication that we were, in fact, moving. As always, it was a smooth ride.

Before long, we stopped and I opened my eyes. Edward let me down onto my feet and I smiled as my eyes landed on the cottage. I'd missed it so much, almost as much as I had missed Edward. This was our sanctuary—our home—a place where we could just… be.

I took Edward's hand, smiling up at him eagerly as I pulled him along with me to the door. I quickly opened it, surprised that it was unlocked, and walked through. We stepped into the living room, and stood there for a few minutes, simply looking around. So much had happened since we'd left here last after the call from Charlie, and I was relieved to be back here. It felt like a kind of… true homecoming.

Yes, Edward was my home, but this… this was ours. This was our home together, one that was built with love for us, lived in part-time, filled with love and happiness only.

I turned around to face Edward, the smile still on my face as my eyes met his. He was staring at me, his eyes filled with awe, love, relief and total happiness. My smile widened and he pulled me against him silently, humming as I ran my hands up his forearms, his biceps, before resting them on his shoulders. The whole time I watched the path of my hands, only looking into his eyes again when they curled around his neck.

"Welcome home," he breathed.

I smiled, getting all fucking emotional again as tears welled in my eyes and my throat tightened, a lump forming for the umpteenth time today. "God, that sounds good. _Home_."

His hands wandered down from the curve of my back to my ass, which his hands massaged through my jeans. I hummed and licked my lips, biting the bottom one, reveling in the growl Edward let out a second later.

"That lip," he breathed, leaning in slowly, his eyes shifting between my eyes and my mouth. I whimpered and swallowed, breathing in sharply as he breathed out, his wonderful scent fanning over my skin, causing goosebumps to rise. He growled, "My lip," and then his lips were on mine.

I moaned, my hands flying to his hair, which I fisted and tugged. His hands, still on my ass, curled around my thighs and lifted me up. I jumped and wrapped my legs around his waist as he began to slowly walk toward our bedroom.

I knew when we reached the bedroom because he put me down again, his hands around my waist before he froze. I frowned, my eyes flying up to his face, but he was staring at the room. I turned around and saw nothing out of place; the bed sheets and quilt were on the bed… it was pretty much exactly as it had been before we'd left.

I turned to face Edward again, thoroughly confused by his reaction. "What is it?" I whispered.

He swallowed and looked down. "After I killed Tanya, I came back here and stripped the bed of all the covers. I… I wanted to take them with me up to the main house because they had your scent on them and… well, your scent made me more alert, more focused. And the room was trashed. When Tanya came, I was not of sound mind; I was highly confused and unaware of my surroundings. I threw her against the wall and held her against it by her throat, angry at what she was saying and her thoughts. I just… I know Esme must have come down here but… I don't know, it is just strange seeing it how it was before you left. It's like it never happened…" He swallowed and looked down for a moment before he looked back up at me, heartbroken. "I want it to have never happened," he said hoarsely and I whimpered, sniffling as I threw my arms around his neck.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered, looking him in the eye. I held his face tenderly in my hands, making him look at me. "I don't know what to say to make it better, because honestly, I don't think there _is _anything that can be said. What happened to us was… horrible… and I will regret my decision to leave without a fight every day for the rest of my existence. I hate that I was the reason for what we went through." He tried to say something, but I shook my head and pressed my forefinger against his lips, hushing him. "No, Edward. It wasn't right. There were millions of other ways that we could have dealt with this, and that never should have been an option. I was an idiot and I am sorry—so, so sorry—for what I put you through. It wasn't fair and I… I hate myself for it."

I sniffled and looked away for a moment, frowning as the tears slid down my cheeks silently. I looked back up at my mate. "All I know is that I love you, and I… I need you. I need to feel you, I need to know that you're really here because the last few days," I let out a sob, squeezing my eyes shut, "It was horrible, Edward. To hear you and not touch you, not be with you… It was like… like only having part of you, like half of myself was missing. And I am the reason that we felt that, Edward. I will hate myself for the rest of forever, but I will be so fucking grateful that you love me anyway—despite all my herculean faults."

He cupped my cheeks in his hands then, growling as he stared me in the eyes, making me look back into his. "You are the most amazing, beautiful, selfless, self-sacrificing woman I have ever met and I love you more than anything else in the world, Isabella Swan. Never, ever insult yourself; it only serves to insult me as well. Now, right here in this moment, I will make love to you, and we will put the past where it belongs—in the past. It no longer affects us now; it only will if we let it. And we won't."

I swallowed and nodded. "Ok," I whispered.

He smiled and leaned down. "Good," he whispered, and then his lips were on mine.

There was no way of stopping me. Once our lips met in desperation and pure need, control flew out the window. All we had was each other, and this need to feel each other, to become one once again—to become whole once again.

Clothes were made quick work of. Edward ripped of my shirt and my jeans, while I ripped his shirt, the buttons flying everywhere in my haste. I tugged at the zipper and button of his jeans, pushing it down past his knees, falling to my own as I removed them. He stepped out of them and I chucked them away, running my hands up his thighs. My head was level with his erection, which was trapped underneath his boxer briefs and I groaned, licking my lips as I stared, enraptured by the beautiful bulge of him. My hands skimmed down his legs and then up once more before they trailed the edge of his boxer briefs' elastic band, and he groaned as my fingertips danced on the skin there before dipping in. I looked up at him once more before I pulled the boxer briefs down, chucking that away as well when he stepped out of them.

His erection sprung up, bobbing a few times, and I whimpered, staring at it as I licked my lips. Edward groaned as my breath stuttered out from between my open lips, fanning across his erection, and I watched, enraptured and flustered, as it twitched.

_Beautiful_, I thought, leaning forward. I ran my tongue along the slit, Edward and I both groaning as I licked up the tiny bit of pre-cum that had already welled there. I hummed and gripped him at the base, leaning in further as I took the head in my mouth. I sucked lightly at first, humming a little, making Edward moan out my name. I smiled and released him, looking up at my mate's face, which was scrunched up in pleasure, before I took his length further into my mouth, sucking and tonguing the underside as I bobbed just once before letting him go and standing up.

"Make love to me," I whispered as I leaned in and kissed his lips. He circled his arms around my waist and pulled me against him, making me shiver as he ran his tongue against my bottom lip. I moaned as his tongue entered my mouth and ran along mine before thoroughly exploring my mouth.

I gripped his face in both hands, but he stopped the kiss and mumbled, "You're still partially dressed. Not fair, Miss Swan." And to prove his point, he ran his hands along my ass cheeks, still covered by the very thin fabric of my underwear, before they drifted up to my bra, which he quickly unclasped and then pulled off my body. His hands wandered down to my ass again, but this time his fingers traced the edge of my panties before he ripped them off, making me gasp.

"Much better," he whispered against my lips with a smirk. In the blink of an eye, he had lifted me then and wrapped my legs around his waist. I moaned when I felt his cock nestled between my thighs, throbbing against my clit. He slowly walked us over to the bed and laid me down carefully, climbing on after me without breaking an inch of the contact of our skin.

"I love you," he whispered against my skin as he leaned down. Slowly, he pressed wet, open-mouthed kisses against my flushed skin and I shivered each time at the feeling. It was amazing, but as always, I wanted more.

"Hmm," I whimpered, arching off the bed as he licked an icy circle around my areola before finally taking my nipple into his mouth. His teeth closed around it and he snaked an arm around my waist, right where my back was arched, as he sucked softly, careful not to break the skin with his sharp teeth. "Ooh, Edward." I squirmed as he sucked harder, his tongue flicking back and forth leisurely, almost casually.

He purred as he worshipped my body, releasing that nipple and taking the other in his mouth, treating it to the same blissful torture. He skimmed his lips down my stomach, pushing my legs apart, his eyes fixated to the apex of my thighs. He breathed in and growled at the potent smell of my arousal. I whimpered as he leaned down, lying between my thighs, running his hands up and down the skin of my inner thighs as he leaned down. His tongue snaked out from between his lips and I moaned, my head burrowing into the mattress as he licked and sucked on my clit, licking with the flat of his tongue every once in a while from my clit to my slit.

My hands fisted his hair and I pulled him against me as he continued to torture me. But I wanted more; I wanted him in me.

Now.

So I tugged on his hair in an effort to get his attention; he got the message, pulling back immediately to look me in the eyes.

"I want you inside me…" I panted, "Now."

He growled and in a split second—less than that, I knew—he was holding me in his arms, balancing himself above me on his forearms, his erection nestled against my entrance. I wrapped my legs around his waist, licking my dry lips as I leaned up and pressed my lips against his.

"I love you," I whispered against his lips, panting breathlessly. I squirmed a little in his arms, looking down between us, and he growled, grabbing my hips to steady me.

"I love you," he whispered back and, looking into my eyes the whole time, our gaze not breaking even by a blink, he slowly entered me.

The feelings that coursed through us were in describable. More than pleasurable, it was like… like two souls fusing together, becoming one once again. In that moment, gone was all the pain and hurt that we'd felt for the past few days… gone was the past. The past was inconsequential anyway… all we needed was this, us, together, as one… now and forever.

Edward stilled when he was completely inside me. Our hands reached and caressed the other's face, memorizing and mesmerized.

"Bella," he whispered against my lips, kissing a line down one side of my jaw and then up the other. His right hand ran down my side and to my thigh, which he held up as he leaned forward. Brushing his lips against mine, he slowly pulled back just a few inches then pushed back in. With a reverent air about him, he watched me as he slowly and sweetly made love to me, worshipping me and making me truly feel safe, as one.

This was what I—_we_—had needed all along. This was the healing our fractured connection had needed. This was what would make everything ok again.

For the first time since I'd been ripped from his arms just five days ago, I felt completely safe, strong, loved. As he whispered my name, his lips caressing every inch of my skin, sucking at my collarbones, my breasts, my neck, our connection re-fused and we were healed.

As Edward's thrusts became shaky and erratic, and my thighs shook, our cries louder, our backs arching and we came, the hurt and pain and disquiet broke away from us, our connection, once fractured and broken like us ourselves, now completely re-healed.

Edward fell over me, purring deep in his chest, and as I fell asleep with Edward lying over me, caging me in, protecting me, I reveled in the fact that I was safe and we were together, that everything was going to be ok.

We were strong once again.

We were healed.

**~O~**

I didn't know how much time had passed; I didn't know anything. All that mattered to me was Edward. We were forever together, forever intertwined, forever making love. As more and more time passed, we could feel our bond strengthening into something that was even more powerful than it had been previous to our separation.

We were unable to explain it, but that did not trouble us.

With each day, I watched as Edward's already dark amber eyes grew steadily darker. And each day, an unsettling feeling grew within me. I knew that, soon enough, Edward and I would have to leave our little cottage and embrace the world around us once again. And with all that had happened, I knew I wasn't ready for that.

Not yet.

But of course it was forced onto us before even I thought it would be, by Edward no less.

"Bella, my love, I need to hunt," Edward whispered once he'd wrapped his arms around my waist. His chin was resting on my shoulder, my back pressed against his chest as I made myself a quick sandwich. It was midday, and quite sunny outside.

I sighed at his words and put the knife I was holding in my hand down. I bit my lip and frowned down at the chopping board for a few moments before I sighed again, spinning around on my heel and wrapping my arms around Edward's neck.

"I know," I whispered, looking up into his eyes, a soft smile on my lips. Edward frowned and reached up to trace my bottom lip with his finger.

"I know that you know," he replied and my smile widened at how strange that phrase sounded. Edward quickly dipped down to peck me on the lips before he continued. "But I know that you are also… scared about the thought of it. Bella, darling, you know that we can do what we did beforehand… you can come with me; I will not leave you by yourself."

I hushed him, pressing a finger to his lips. I looked into his eyes, swallowing before I looked down. Or tried to at least, as Edward's finger flew up to hold my chin steady so I was looking at him still. "I know that, Edward. That's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what are you worried about, my sweet?" he whispered, leaning his forehead against mine.

I sighed and hung my head as Edward drew me closer to him, encasing my small body in his strong arms. "It's just… I dunno, it sounds stupid, but…"

Edward's low growl cut me off. "Nothing you ever feel is insignificant, stupid, or otherwise. Everything you feel has a reason and is meaningful, and worthy of my time. You are my mate, Isabella; it is my job to provide for you, to protect you and to love you. It is my job to soothe your fears and comfort you in times of need. You know that."

I nodded, blowing out a breath. "I just… I don't want to have to leave here. This is… this is where we are safe, Edward…" I looked away, toward the window as tears welled in my eyes, a lump forming in my throat. "Out there…" My voice cracked and wavered. "I'm just scared," I finally whispered.

In a flash, I was pulled even more tightly into Edward's arms, his chin resting on the top of my head, and the sound of my growl emanating from his lips, vibrating throughout his body and into mine. I was shivering in his arms, not from the coldness of his arms, but from fear of losing him again. That separation was a nightmare, and yes, it was in the past, but it would haunt me forever. I was terrified of it happening again, but this time not by choice—by _force_.

For an immeasurable amount of time, Edward simply held me. His silence helped to soothe me, just as his strong arms wrapped securely around me, chaining me to him, kept me grounded. I was safe, I knew this, and I was able to let go of my fears… even if just temporarily.

"I love you, Isabella Marie Swan," Edward whispered some time later. My shivers had lessened into little miniscule tremors every now and then, my eyes dried, and the lump in my throat gone.

I looked up at Edward and smiled, grabbing his face in my hands as I leaned up on my tippy toes. "I love you, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. And…" I blew out a breath. "And I think it's time we looked after you and your needs."

He smiled softly. "Are you sure you are alright?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I probably won't be for a while, not completely, but you… you make everything feel… ok. Safe. Secure, you know? I feel like everything will be ok as long as I am with you."

His smile widened. "I know exactly what you mean; I feel the exact same way. While the painful scars of our recent traumatic experience will take time to heal completely, I know that we are ok." He grabbed my hand and lifted our joined ones up to our eye level. "Do you feel that?"

I nodded.

"That is _us_, my love," he whispered. "That is… that is us. I know, as you know, that our bond is no longer fractured; it is as we are: strong, complete again. It is healed because we are together and on the same page. As long as we are together, everything will be ok. You must know that; you must have faith in that."

I nodded and swallowed. "I do," I whispered, my voice hoarse with emotion. "I really, really do, Edward."

He smiled and kissed me soundly on the lips once more. "Good," he whispered. "Now eat, and then we shall dress and go hunt."

**~O~**

"Are you ready, love?" Edward asked as he walked into our bedroom, rolling up his sleeves. He came over to where I was sitting on the bed, sat down beside me and wrapped his arm around me.

"Yep," I said, looking up at him. "Well, just about, anyway." I looked down and fidgeted with the button on my shirt, sighing when it started sitting funny.

Edward grabbed my hand and stilled it with his left, his right coming up to my jaw. He slowly and gently forced me to look up at him, and I frowned at the frown on his face. "Bella," he whispered, his thumb rubbing sweetly back and forth on my jaw.

"I'm fine," I whispered back. "I really am. I'm just… I was thinking that maybe…" I trailed off, a little unsure. Edward probably wouldn't even want to, so…

"What?" Edward breathed, a slight smile on his face. I smiled to myself; he really did love to hear my thoughts—even if they were slightly edited and spoken aloud instead—when I had an idea.

"I was wondering if we could, uh… go see Dad?" I whispered slowly, before rushing through a justification. Internally, I sighed; it was like we were back to the beginning of our relationship when I felt I had to explain everything. Still, I did it. "It's just… I really want to see him and I don't even know if he knows I'm back, and I know we have a few things we need to tell him and stuff…"

In a flash, I was in Edward's arms, sitting on Edward's lap, straddling him with his arms wrapped around me, his hands on my ass. I gasped as his black eyes looked into mine, his brow puckered. "Hush, love," he whispered, swallowing. "Stop." He reached up to trace my lip with the tip of his thumb, the tips of the other fingers of his left hand resting lightly against my jaw.

My tongue swiped over my bottom lip as I looked down, tears welling in my eyes. "I'm sorry," I said, unable to speak louder than a mere whisper, lest I start crying. As it was, the tears in my eyes had already started spilling over my cheeks.

I heard Edward growl and swallowed, closing my eyes, squeezing them shut in an effort to try and stop crying. Edward then moved his hand slightly to grab my chin and jerk it softly but quickly up to make me look at him again.

"Stop, love," he whispered, his frown even deeper. I swallowed, tears welling and spilling over again as I opened my mouth, ready to apologize. He didn't let me though. Instead, he spoke again. "Darling, I know how hard this time apart was for you; it was just as hard for me. But please, do not let us go back to the beginning; we have grown so much—too much—for that to happen. Have confidence in yourself; remember how you were, how we were, and continue to be so. Don't lose who you are because of what happened."

I nodded, not saying anything, the lump in my throat downright painful. I wanted to apologize again, but felt that Edward really wouldn't like that, and he at least felt there was no need. So I kept my mouth shut.

"And I would love to go to visit your father," he whispered, pressing his lips to my temple, making me close my eyes again. "You are right; there is much to discuss, much that needs to be taken care of. And we will. We will take care of everything… right now, however, we need to go hunt."

I swallowed, took a deep breath, and then slowly looked up. I nodded at Edward, a new determination rising within me.

_The past cannot affect us. It will only affect us if we let it._

**~O~**

About an hour later, Edward's eyes were now a beautiful light butterscotch, making the both of us much happier. The feelings I had felt before were gone, the determination taking its place.

I would not let what happened change me—change us. I could not let my mother and Jacob win in that way.

As Edward raced back to the main house, with me in his arms, we were silent. My head resting against his chest, my eyes closed as I breathed in and out calmly and slowly, I settled into my mate's embrace and just… let go. A smile lit my face as I remembered how well I used to be able to do that—how I used to just lose all the stress and pain and worry and just let Edward hold me.

And I remembered how much I missed it.

I knew when we were close, for Edward slowed to a leisurely jog, though the ride was just as smooth. With a kiss to my forehead, Edward slowly maneuvered me into a slightly different position before he let me down to stand. My hands clutched his shoulders, fear springing within me as my head snapped up to look at him, but what I saw there calmed me. Love, happiness, and a deep calm was written all over his face, and I knew that everything was ok.

I sighed, too, internally. I hated how much those days—that felt like a lifetime—had impacted us and our relationships. We were still on edge, just a little; though our bond was healed, we as people, as lovers, were not.

I wondered how long that would take, then decided not to waste my time.

_It is what it is._

I snorted quietly, shaking my head.

_Yeah. Great._

**~O~**

I took a deep breath as the car stopped and Edward turned the key in the ignition. Squeezing the hand I had grasped tightly in mine the whole way, I took another deep breath and then another as I looked out my window and at my dad's house.

It was odd, being here. On one hand, the last time I'd been here was so awful it put me further on edge, while on the other it made me happy because this was where my father and I—kinda, sorta—lived.

"Take your time, sweet girl," Edward whispered quietly, breaking the tension-filled silence that had welled slowly since we left the main house. "There's no rush."

I exhaled and frowned before perking up and looking over at Edward. "Nope. Come on. Let's go."

He frowned a little, but nodded. In a flash, he was out of the car and over at my side, opening the door for me, reaching in for my hand. I smiled and blushed as I always did, and took it as I slowly, and somewhat hesitantly, got out.

"It's alright," Edward murmured, sensing my hesitance and distress. Hell, it was fucking obvious. "I've got you, beautiful."

I nodded and closed the door as Edward wrapped his arm around my waist. Edward locked the car with the thing on the keys in his hand and the lights flashed, reflecting on the windows and bouncing off the walls of the house. I took another deep breath and leaned in closer toward Edward.

_Yep, definitely don't like being here._

We slowly walked to the door, and I hesitated slightly as we stood in front of it. I raised my arm and knocked quickly, just twice. Then I took another deep breath, holding it as I waited.

"Breathe," Edward whispered in my ear, pressing another kiss to my forehead before he began to quietly growl my growl for me, calming me instantly and reassuring me as I had needed him to.

I tensed a little when I heard Dad slowly walk up to the door. A beat of silence followed after he reached it, and then two clicks as Dad unlocked the internal deadbolt on the door. Another pause and what sounded like a muttered phrase followed before the door very, very slowly opened—as if Charlie didn't really want to open the door in case it wasn't who he wanted it to be—in case it wasn't me.

And then the door was open, and Dad was standing in front of me. And all of a sudden, I was crying, the relief of seeing him too much as I threw myself at him, making him grunt as he caught me, whispering my name somewhat incredulously. I could feel Edward behind me, shifting and uncomfortable. I could feel the internal struggle he faced, watching his mate cry and sob hysterically and not being able to do anything.

This was what I needed. Both of them knew that and so he stood there, as did my father, rubbing my back and whispering that it was ok, that I was safe now and that I was home. I cried for only God knows how long—blubbering Dad's name and Edward's name and all this other shit that I couldn't even make sense of—the relief, the hysteria, the… everything I felt just coming over me and torturing me at the same time. It was only when Edward finally took me in his arms from Charlie—and purred and growled and whispered sweet nothings—that I was able to calm down.

"Sorry," I mumbled once I'd calmed down and my breathing had regulated, my tears stopped. My eyes were dry and sore, so I kept my eyes closed for a little while longer to let them get a little better.

"Don't be," Charlie said at the same time that Edward replied with a simple, "Stop that, love."

I smiled to myself at how similar they were.

"Anyway," I continued quietly after a deep breath. "We came because we wanted to see you. I wasn't sure if you even knew I was back, so I thought it would be best to come now. I'm sorry we couldn't come earlier, but…" I trailed off, looking at Edward as I bit my lip, unable to think of how to explain what Edward and I had needed exactly in a way that Dad could understand without embarrassing any of us.

Charlie cleared his throat. "S'alright, Bells. Esme called and told me you were back, but that for the sake of your bond with Edward… that le triple something connection…" I smiled at his fumbling with the words. Dad never was good at languages. "Whatever it's called," he muttered, his cheeks tingeing red. "But yeah, she told me you two needed some, uh… time to yourselves. I wasn't actually expecting you to be here so soon… I thought in a couple weeks, maybe," he chuckled awkwardly, my cheeks flaming as I laughed with him. Edward smiled.

"Anyways," I mumbled, grabbing Edward's hands and pressing them to my cheeks to lessen the blush. He chuckled and brushed his lips against my forehead, making me sigh and smile faintly. "But, yeah. We're here. I wanted you to know I was ok and, well… I just… missed you, is all." I swallowed back all the emotions that were raging through me all at once, instead plunging into the main reason we came. "But I also wanted to talk to you about Renée… and Jacob."

Edward hissed quietly at their names and Charlie's eyes hardened. I swallowed, a horrible feeling settling in my chest and stomach just thinking about them. But I shook my head to clear it of such thoughts and pressed on. The sooner it was all taken care of, the sooner everything would really be ok.

I wrung my hands as I swallowed. I didn't know how to tell him that the boy he'd grown up to be somewhat of an uncle to was dead… and that it was my fault. "Um, I'm not sure if—"

"It's alright, Bells," Charlie mumbled, resting his hand over mine. I swallowed again, taking a deep breath, hating how tense and uncomfortable it was. I just wanted this finished with. "I know Jacob is dead. I don't blame you at all, kid. Jacob was… broken… beyond repair. He'd… been problematic for a long time, before you came, since his mother's death."

Tears welled and I looked down at the floor. Shame and guilt were still at war within me and the lump in my throat was so big that I felt almost as if I were choking. Edward's hand, now resting on my thigh, slid around my waist and he pulled me onto his lap, hugging me close to him. I took deep breaths, struggling through the lump and the need to just fall apart again. God, I hated this!

"But I made it worse," I whispered hoarsely. "If I had realized…" My voice cracked and I leaned into Edward as a sob tore through me. "If I had just…"

"Hush, my sweet love," Edward whispered to me, taking my face in his hands and bringing it back up to look at him. "You did nothing wrong. What Charlie said is true; I can see it in his thoughts. Jacob was always… not quite right."

"But I made it worse!" I shouted, shaking from anger and shame and self-hate. I hated this—this feeling of not being comfortable in my own damned skin! "I did, Edward! I went over there, visited him, hung out with him! And then, because of all my confusion, I made it look like he had a chance… only to choose you!" I watched hurt flicker in his eyes, and pain welled in my chest, my heart, my soul. I shook my head madly. "That's not what I mean, Edward. I will never regret that decision; it was a choice that I know was the right thing for me! You are my destiny. It's the hope that I gave Jacob that I will regret about that… along with the pain I caused you." I laughed bitterly, another realization coming to me. "Seems to be the only thing I do," I whispered angrily. "Hurting you, I mean, causing you pain. I hate myself for it."

Edward's growl was loud and angry, the windows in the room shaking from the ferocity of it. "Never!" he hissed, his eyes black with anger, "Never think that, Isabella. Never. I wish you could understand. You. Did. Nothing. Wrong. I love you, always have, always will. You belong to me, and I belong to you, and Jacob was already not ok, not of sound mind before you even met him. The death of his mother was the catalyst, and the hatred of the tribe when it comes to us, and his obsession with you just drove him over the edge." He swallowed and sighed. "Please, love," he whispered, voice hoarse with emotion. "Please, please, please, if nothing else, know that I do not blame you for what happened—that no one does."

I shook my head minutely but said nothing as tears flowed down my cheeks, cascading to my chin then plunging down onto my hands that were clasped on my lap, Edward holding both of them in one of his.

Edward sighed, but he, too, said nothing. Then I felt him shift and my head flew up, my heart starting to race as panic flooded through me, settling in my stomach like a ton of bricks. "No!" I gasped. "Don't… please, don't go!"

He took my face in his hands and looked into my eyes imploringly. "Never," he whispered, his eyes wandering to my lips before he leaned in to peck them softly and lovingly before he leaned back and leaned his forehead against mine. He gripped me closer to him, and I him, unable to quite let him go, scared of what would happen if I did.

He was my anchor.

"And Renée?" Charlie asked quietly.

Edward sighed. "I don't believe it is possible for us to remove her," he said harshly, and from the inflection of his tone, we both knew what he meant by 'removing' her. He continued before either of us could say something. "But I believe there is an easy alternative. If all goes well, and I believe it shall, she will be out of our hair for a long time, definitely long enough for us to move on and leave the belief of Bella's death behind."

I looked over to Charlie and winced at how he flinched. I reached for his hand and he looked at me, pain in his eyes, a sad smile on his face. "You could come with us," I whispered. "You could come with me."

He looked thoughtful and blew out a breath. "I'll think about it, Bells. But are you sure you'd want your old man tagging along with you?"

Tears welled in my eyes and I smiled at him. "I wouldn't have it any other way," I whispered. "Unless you don't want to…"

He took another deep breath, calmly responding, "I'll think about it."

I nodded and smiled at him again before releasing his hand and leaning back into Edward once again. He pressed his lips to my forehead again, and this time I could feel his smile. It made me smile a little more, too.

"So, legal action?" Charlie asked gruffly, looking at Edward again.

Edward nodded stoically. "It's the best way… the only real way we have. And it arouses no suspicion whatsoever, which means no Volturi."

"Which means Bells and I are safe," Charlie continued for him and Edward nodded.

"Of course."

"Well, I'll get all that done," Charlie said with a nod. "Don't you two worry about it. I'll get all that handled for you. You just focus on your connection or bond thing."

We nodded. "We will, Dad," I whispered before I got up out of Edward's arms and looked between the two. "Now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting a little hungry." I smirked while Edward chuckled and rolled his golden eyes. Dad laughed as well, clapping his hand on Edward's shoulder.

"I could eat," Charlie replied, nodding.

I looked to Edward, an eyebrow raised. He snorted. "I'm quite alright, my beautiful mate."

I smiled, tears welling just a little at the sound of one of my endearments. I willed them back though, unwilling for it all to affect me anymore. I wanted to be happy, and to forget any of that had ever happened; I wanted—_needed_—to move on.

I looked to Dad. "Is there anything edible in the fridge, Dad?"

He chuckled again, but nodded his head. "Yes, there should be. I think there's some fish in the freezer, though."

I laughed and shook my head at him and his ways. "Subtle, Dad; real subtle," I said, eyes narrowed as I fake-scowled at him.

He shrugged his shoulders and looked at Edward, who looked at him as they both laughed again.

I sighed and left them there in the lounge room, laughing their asses off. I walked through to the kitchen and straight to the freezer, pulling it open quickly and locating the fish. I pulled it out and got to work on the gutting and scaling. When that was done, I marinated it and then put it in the oven.

I got out a few vegetables, namely some peas and carrots. Dad and I both hated the broccoli with fish, so I left that well alone. There were no chips to be found, so I got out a few potatoes and chopped them into smallish squares to first pan-fry then bake. I also chopped the carrots Asian-food style and tossed them into a smallish pot. That would be good enough, as long as they were crispy.

All in all, it was a pretty nice and healthy dish that I treated Dad to every so often when I was actually here to cook for him. As I thought about it, I kinda felt bad for not being over so much—this was, after all, the place I was supposed to be living in—and I vowed to change that.

Edward didn't come in at all, instead choosing to stay in the lounge room with Dad as they watched football. I was thankful, strangely; I needed some time to calm down and just be myself. Besides, cooking let me focus on something else for a change and that was what I needed. Edward knew that.

When dinner was done, I called Dad and Edward in. The T.V. turned off, and a moment later, Dad, followed by my amazing vampire, came through the doorway. I set Dad's plate on the table and he sat down, thanked me, and dug in. I looked at Edward, who kind of looked around the room, unsure of where to go. I rolled my eyes, walked over to him, my plate in my hand, and reached up on my tippy toes, slamming my lips up against his. His hands wound around my waist and I hummed against his lips before I stopped kissing him and set my plate down on the table, grabbing his hand in mine. I dragged him over to the seat, noticing how awkwardly Dad was looking in the opposite direction, and pushed him down into it before I sat down on his lap—his arms automatically winding around my waist tightly as they always did—and ate my dinner.

As soon as dinner was finished, I got up and off Edward's lap, his hands lingering on my hips as I grabbed the plates. I walked to the sink as Dad thanked me once again for dinner before he got up and went back into the lounge room, this time without Edward. I could feel his eyes on me, and sighed.

"I'm fine," I murmured to him. "I'm… better." I quickly glanced at him over my shoulder and raised an eyebrow, "I swear."

He nodded silently, but didn't move. I turned my head back around and focused on washing the plates. As soon as they were done, the plates on the drying rack, Edward's phone went off. I smirked to myself as I turned around once again and watched Edward reach for it. Our eyes connected, and Edward's smirk grew when he saw mine. We both knew it was Alice—it just felt a little too perfectly timed—too oh-so-casual—to be anything or anyone else.

And that was affirmed when Edward answered with, "Hello, Alice?"

A frown flickered across his face when she started speaking, and I came to him on instinct, my brow furrowing as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him, going rigid.

"Yes, of course. We'll be right over," he said, his eyes flickering down to me. I frowned and reached up to cup his cheek and he smiled faintly, clasping our hands together as he looked into my eyes, intently listening to whatever Alice was saying.

He snapped the phone shut quite abruptly. "It appears we need to head back now—immediately. Alice had a vision; Marcus of the Volturi is coming for a visit. Alone."

* * *

><p><strong>So how was that?<strong>

**Good?**

**I hope so... let me know, and I'll see you in half the time I normally do - so about a week and a half/two weeks!**

**Please review**

**bexie25**


	31. Absolution

**Hello!**

**Sorry this is nearly a week late... again. I'm not really good at following my updating schedule at the moment, am I? And plus, I said you'd get two chapters in 3 weeks... well, that didn't happen.**

**But, I was having a lot of trouble with this chapter. From the time that Renee came back to even here, I've been having trouble because I've had it mapped out in my head for so long. I always have trouble with writing chapters or parts of stories that I've seen coming for a long time because I want them to be as good as what I'd mapped out in my thoughts and I get scared it won't be...**

**But, either way, I'm already feeling the buzz for the next chapter, so hopefully you'll get that in the next week or something, too. Then there's only the epi to go...**

**And then the sequel, of course... **

**:D So excited!**

**Anyways, I don't really have much to say... just warnin' ya - cliffy ahead! ;)**

**And a note below you all need to read, please...**

**Read, review, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Marcus?" I whispered after a beat of silence. "You… you mean, Marcus as in Marcus-Marcus? Marcus of the Volturi Marcus?"<p>

Edward frowned and swallowed, flitting over to my side and taking me into his arms. He purred low in his chest, and the rumbling of his chest along with the calming sound made me relax in his embrace as he opened his mouth to reply.

"Yes."

It was a simple word, a very simple word… and yet, I had no idea how to respond. I knew that we needed to get everything out in the open with the family before he arrived, but I kinda was hoping that Didyme wouldn't be told… that for whatever reason, Alice hadn't announced her latest vision to the world as she usually did.

After all, if you were going to reunite with your mate after so many centuries, I'd think it would be nicer to not be expecting it.

"Edward, we need to go. Now," I said, urgency overcoming me as I pulled out of his embrace and took his hand. He was so surprised and confused by my reaction that I was able to pull him after me effortlessly as I walked into the main room where Dad was.

"Hey, Dad," I said really quickly, stopping beside him. He turned to look at me, and frowned as he noticed Edward. "Uh, we need to go. Something urgent came up."

He swallowed. "Is everything ok?" he asked, eyeing my mate and then me.

I tried to smile. "Yeah, fine. Don't worry; there's no danger or anything. I promise."

He seemed to relax at that. "Ok, then, Bells," he said with a smile. "You just call me if you need anything, ok?"

I nodded really quickly and leaned down, not letting go of Edward's hand for a second, to give him a kiss on the cheek. "See you later."

"Bye!" he called as I promptly turned and walked out the front door. I let go of Edward and turned around when we reached the car. I looked at his face as he watched me, confused and somewhat dazed. I quickly pondered what to do to get him back to paying attention and in the present, then smiled as I decided I needed to do what I always did.

So, I kissed him. I leaned up on my tippy toes, clenched his shirt in my fist and pulled him down, only to slam my lips against his. Immediately, his arms were around my waist and he was eager as he pulled me to him, moaning against my lips as I nipped at his bottom one. I pulled back only when I needed to breathe, panting as I spoke.

"Baby, I love you so much," I began, rushing through what I needed to say, "but we really need to go home. Now. And I need you fully alert, because you are going to have to drive slowly on the way home. I have something important to say, and I need to tell you all of it _before _we get home. Ok?"

He looked down at me, frowning, but quickly nodded once. Briskly, he walked me to my side of the car, unlocking it quickly before he opened the door. I smiled up at him and pecked him on the cheek before I quickly got into the car. He gently closed the door and glided to the other side to get in.

As soon as the door was closed, he glanced at me. The look in his eyes told me to please start talking, and so as he turned the ignition, I did.

"Ok, well, you know the woman who helped me get back to you?" I started quickly, my eyes flashing to the time on the dashboard. It usually took Edward about ten to fifteen minutes to drive me to his house, so if he was going the normal speed, I had half an hour. That was good; I probably only needed about twenty or twenty-five.

"Yes," he said quietly, and I could feel his eyes on me as I stared straight ahead. "I am forever in debt to her. She helped bring you back to me."

I smiled warmly at the tone in his voice before I swallowed and took a deep breath. My cheeks puffed as I blew it out and glanced at him, flashing a loving glance at him. "Yes, well… what I haven't told you… or anyone else… that she is Didyme."

I glanced at Edward nervously, and tried to control myself as he frowned. He didn't seem to remember that I'd first mentioned her name when I'd returned, and to be honest, I couldn't blame him; so much had been happening during that time that even a vampire's memory would wane a little when it came to the smaller things. As what I'd said registered, he froze and I was damned thankful for his fast reflexes… otherwise, I knew we'd have crashed the car. As it was, we'd lurched slightly as soon as he comprehended the words that had left my mouth, before Edward righted the car not two seconds later.

"Marcus's Didyme?" he whispered and I nodded. "But… how? She's supposed to be dead. She was killed by the brothers."

"That's what she had to make everyone believe," I whispered back. "She did it to make sure she _wouldn't _die."

"Does Marcus know?" Edward asked me.

I shook my head. "No. He couldn't know. If he did, he would never be able to stay apart from her, and their secret would never be secure."

"But… but separation, especially of those with the connection that we have, as they do, kills both parties," Edward said and I risked another glance only to see him stone still, his gorgeous face marred by confusion and a hint of pain. I was sure mine had the latter as well.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "No, it… nearly kills them... us. It incapacitates, yes, but it does not kill. Only the death of a mate can do that… and considering Didyme isn't dead…" I left that hanging, letting the silence tell what I could not. It was only because Didyme wasn't dead that Marcus was alive...

"Why are you telling me this now?" Edward asked, changing the direction of our conversation. I glanced at the clock again. Ten minutes down, hopefully about another fifteen to go.

But I was glad for the change in direction. "Because we need to discuss all that I have said and what I have not with the whole family and Didyme… before Marcus arrives." I paused and looked up at Edward. "Which reminds me… did Alice say whether Didyme knew if Marcus was coming?"

"No," Edward replied, shaking his head, still a little confused as he eyed me, wanting to know where I was going with this. "She and Jasper are hunting at the moment in Canada. I was the first she called. I told her not to say anything until we were all home. They're on their way back now… they should arrive within the next five minutes."

I nodded, relieved. "Good."

Edward looked at me. "Why is that good?"

I smiled and looked up at him. "Because… if I were going to reunite with you after centuries of waiting or believing you were dead, I'd like to not know you were coming beforehand… it would make the reunion that much sweeter."

Edward swallowed, and returned my loving gaze. When he spoke, it was in a whisper. "While I can guarantee and swear to you that we will never be separated again, I agree with you. I would want the surprise; it would drive me mad with worry at the very least, otherwise."

We stared at each other for a few moments before he looked down and took a breath. I took a deep, shuddering breath myself and turned to stare out the front windshield again. It was easier to hold conversation that way—when I wasn't looking at my Edward. "What exactly will we be discussing with everyone when we arrive in relation to all of this?"

"At the very least, we need to introduce Didyme to the rest of the family." I could see out of the corner of my eye that Edward agreed with me, nodding his acquiescence. "We shouldn't disclose that Marcus is coming, but we do need to discuss why she left in the first place, how she went about doing so, and what is going on. We need to know how she knew to help me, and, well, simply put… everything."

Edward nodded. "I agree, my beautiful mate."

I looked up at him, a small smile on my face. "And you need to find out immediately from Alice when Marcus will arrive. We _have _to know how much time we have."

He smiled and leaned over. I registered it when the car stopped and he brushed his lips against mine softly, teasing me, then he leaned back. "I love you," he whispered and my heart very nearly stopped in my chest.

I swallowed down everything I was thinking, but could not help that my response was thick and heavy with emotion. "I love you."

Edward kissed me slowly, deeply, and sweetly once more before he leaned back. He frowned slightly in concentration then and I understood that he was listening to the various thoughts of those in the house, as well as seeking the thoughts of Alice and Jasper.

"Anything?" I whispered hastily under my breath.

Edward leaned in again and whispered against my lips. I was barely able to concentrate as I tasted him on my lips and breathed in his glorious scent, but I managed. Just. "Alice and Jasper have arrived, but they're waiting for us. It seems Alice knows what we've been discussing, or at least part of it, and she wants to speak to us before we go in." He frowned for a moment. "Alice is mulling over the vision, replaying it again and again. All I can see is that we don't have long before he arrives; the time I'm getting from her is about forty-five minutes."

"Ok," I whispered again, my mind flying at a hundred miles an hour. I was sure I'd get a headache from the serious pressure that I was experiencing from all this shit. I could not wait until all this fuckery was behind us and I could just have Edward with me forever and be happy. Serious-fucking-ly.

"Now, my sweet girl," Edward said softly, his velvety voice impinging on my thought process. I looked up at him, blinking, and he smiled crookedly. I swallowed but kept eye contact, unwilling not to. "I think we should get out of this car and go speak to Alice and Jasper. The sooner we do, the sooner we can speak to the rest of the family about…" He trailed off, and I nodded, understanding what he meant immediately.

"Ok, let's go," I said with a small smile. Edward flashed me one of his own again, and before I could even process it, he was on my side of the car, the door open and his hand outstretched to help me out. I took it and as soon as I was standing, he drew me to him with his hand around my waist. He quickly led me over to where I presumed Alice and Jasper were, at the furthest point from the house.

"Alice," Edward whispered, "if you want to talk about this beforehand, then you mustn't let anyone hear what you say. We shan't be, and for purposes we cannot disclose at this point in time, we would very much appreciate it if you afforded us with the same courtesy."

Alice nodded. "I know," she whispered back, Jasper standing stoically by her side, an arm around her petite waist, mirroring Edward's and my stance. "I've seen most of this, all I really want to know is what I should tell the rest of the family."

Edward looked down at me and I sighed, thinking for a moment, my lips taut in a straight line. This was a hard decision; I hated not being honest with everyone, but at the same time, I desperately felt like this reunion needed to be a surprise. I had no idea what made me feel that way, but I knew Edward felt the same as I did.

After a moment, I crossed my arms and leaned into Edward as I replied. "I think it would be better if you told them nothing."

Alice and Jasper's faces registered their shock, but Edward simply nodded, seeing where I was going with this.

"Wh—" Alice started, shocked as she stared at me with wide eyes. "I can't do that!" she hissed under her breath.

My eyes hardened at the same time Edward growled. "Listen, Alice, if you don't, then things will just turn pear-shaped. The only way we can reunite them is if Didyme does not know that Marcus is coming. She left and pretended she had died for a damn good reason, and if she thinks that she, but _especially _her mate, will be in any danger, she will run for the hills!" I was breathing harshly in anger and could barely control the pitch at which I spoke. I took a few deep breaths before I continued. "They _need _to be reunited. If they aren't—if Marcus arrives here only to find that she is not here, as I do indeed think that he believes her to be by some unknown power—it will kill them _both_. They've spent centuries without one another and it has left a mountain of consequences for both of them. I know if I thought Edward had been dead—"

I broke off suddenly, my throat closing up as my voice broke. Edward immediately pulled me closer to him and I gasped in his scent, needing to ground myself in the fact that he wasn't and that we were both here together. When I could speak again, it was the lowest volume I had ever used; if Alice, Jasper, and Edward were human, they wouldn't be able to hear it. "Can you understand, Alice?" I whispered to her, still feeling shaken from the thought of Edward in ashes. "Can you see how important this is?"

She looked at me for a moment, and I could see the struggle in her eyes; it matched my own. She sighed and leaned back against Jasper, before she nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I can. As much as I don't like it, I know that to _not _keep this to myself will have dire consequences." Then she looked up at me with a small smile. "Just so you know, the reason why you feel so strongly about this is because you are sensing Marcus and Didyme's connections as Didyme did yours."

And then she took Jasper's hand and they walked through the edge of the woods and into the Cullen front yard. I stood there, mouth agape, watching her as she and her mate walked up the stairs and into the house.

"Is she serious?" I gasped, spinning around to face Edward. He was staring at me in awe, love, and shock.

"Yes, she is, my mate," he whispered. "She is very serious."

"Well, if I am, you are, too," I said and his brow creased in confusion. I smiled softly, leaning up on my tippy toes as I cupped his jaw and cheeks in my hands. I kissed him passionately, moaning lowly, before I leaned back. "You're sensing their connection, too," I whispered in clarification. And then I did an Alice, and took his hand, towing him behind me. I swore I could hear Alice's bell-like laugh filtering through the house from here.

The first person we saw upon entering the house was Didyme, and she eyed us and the door into the living room curiously. I smiled at her, and it seemed she could not stop herself from smiling back.

"Everyone is reconvened in there," she said quietly as I stopped beside her. Edward wrapped both of his arms around my waist immediately and I sighed instinctively as soon as my back touched his front. "I have a feeling it is important, but is this something I should be privy to hearing? Should I go and then come back later?"

I eyed her for a moment. She seemed both nervous and uncomfortable, but there was something else… she looked more… alive. It struck me quickly that some part of her already knew of her mate's whereabouts, and the feel of Edward's chest rumbling against me in a calming motion made me realize that my heart was flying in panic. But, thankfully, Edward's actions calmed me down quickly and painlessly. It was all quite over before it began.

"No," I said quietly, smiling at her. "No, I, uh… I think you need to stay."

She looked at me for a moment, lips pursed, brows puckered, before she sighed. Her tense posture relaxed just slightly and she nodded. "Alright, I shall, if you deem it alright."

"I do," I said urgently. I reached a hand out to her and pulled her with me, as Edward let go of all of me but an arm that remained around my waist, and we walked together into the living room.

The Cullens—bar Alice and Jasper, who were standing against the wall behind Carlisle and Esme and beside Emmett and Rosalie, both couples sitting down—were very confused. I could see that just by the way they sat, the way Rosalie and Emmett, and Carlisle and Esme, clung to one another. I wasn't sure what Alice had told them, but it seemed the idea of another family meeting after all that had happened was not something that they had been expecting… or particularly wanting.

Edward quickly led me to our own seat, to the other side of Carlisle and Esme, opposite Rosalie and Emmett, also facing toward the forest. Didyme slowed and pulled her hand from my grip, and I glanced at the others, who seemed to all be eyeing her. Only Carlisle had a faint glint of recognition in his eyes, and even that was dimmed by confusion; he had never met her in person, either way.

I smiled up at Didyme, motioned for her to sit beside me, and she quickly moved in a blur to my side. I took a deep breath and clasped her hand in mine and she gasped slightly as Edward tensed beside me. I stroked soothing circular motions onto the back of his hand and he relaxed quite soon.

"What's this about?" Rosalie asked, breaking the spell of our moment.

I blinked and looked up. "There's something you all need to know. It's very important, and the whole situation surrounding it needs to be dealt with very delicately. No one but the people in this room can know."

I looked at Didyme, and she looked at me, her eyes widening as she grasped what we would be doing now. She smiled slightly and nodded, and I felt myself relax at having her permission to divulge all of this.

"I know Edward and I haven't been here, and I am sorry for the trouble that has caused," I began, raising a hand to halt them as they reacted. One of Edward's hands slipped to my thigh, which he palmed silently in support. "No, really, I have to say this. If we had been around sooner, we could have done this earlier and perhaps then it wouldn't be such a shock."

"What?" Esme asked, looking between Edward and I. Her hand rested over her still heart, and she looked quite panicked, her tone alert as her eyes shifted between the two of us, searching for something that might be wrong. "Is everything alright, dear?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, everything is fine. It seems I'm not expressing myself as well as I usually do." I blew out a breath and glanced at Didyme. One look from her and then from Edward, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "everyone, the woman who helped me and is sitting next to me now is Didyme of the Volturi, Marcus's mate."

Dead silence followed. As I glanced at everyone's faces, I noted that everyone but Carlisle were staring at the three of us, either as if we had gone mad, or in utter disbelief. Their eyes settled on me quickly before darting to Didyme, who sat proud and calm. She was obviously used to being scrutinized like this, and I had to say that I envied her for her cool and collected manner. I wished I had her kind of confidence, especially in these situations.

Rosalie, funnily enough, was the first to break the silence.

"Are you shitting me?" she blurted out, eyebrow raised and arms crossed as she eyed Didyme then turned to me. "That's not possible; she's dead, for fuck's sake!"

I shook my head, and opened my mouth to respond, but Carlisle, surprisingly enough, beat me to it.

"No, she is telling the truth," Carlisle responded, also eyeing Didyme, but more with awe and intrigue. He half-smiled, seeming dazed at the sight before him. "I would recognize you from your portrait anywhere, Didyme. While I must say it is indeed a shock to see you alive and well, much less sitting in my living room, I have to say that I am very glad you are alive."

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Carlisle. I have heard that you have been a good friend to my Marcus throughout all of this." Her voice faltered and broke as she spoke her mate's name and I squeezed her hand. She flashed a grateful smile at me and I nodded.

Carlisle smiled sadly, his eyes apologetic and sympathetic. "I take it he does not know that you are alive?" he asked gently.

"No," she whispered, looking down at her hands. "It was impossible for me to tell him. He needed to make his brothers and, well, my brother, Aro, in particular, think that I was dead in order for us to have any sort of possible future. As I am sure you know, our brothers thought that we had too much power because of the rare type of connection that we share. They feared that we wanted the power to ourselves, unable to comprehend that we really wanted the opposite." She struggled for a moment. "We were planning to leave," she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. "We were going to… to leave the Volturi and start our own life together. When we told Aro, he smiled and congratulated us. But we knew… some part of us knew that we were in danger, and so our connection prepared us." She looked at Edward and I. "You handled the situation perfectly, children; as well as you could have. And Isabella, don't you dare feel guilty. What happened, happened; and if your connection prepared you, it means there was no way of getting out of it. It was what had to happen for you to truly move forward and become stronger as a mated couple."

I looked down as Edward squeezed my thigh. I struggled momentarily with the conflicting emotions that were raging inside of me. I had felt that it was my fault, that there was some way we could have prevented it. But to know that we couldn't, and to have someone who was going through what we had, say that… it made me truly believe that I was not guilty.

Within me, I felt the last part of guilt fade away, and as I leaned into Edward's side and squeezed my eyes closed, tears silently sliding down my face and falling to Edward's hand on my upper thigh, I let the calming effect of Edward's love for me, and our connection, take the place of what I'd bottled up since coming back—the small part that even Edward had not witnessed for himself.

"Thank you," I whispered, looking up at Didyme. I could hardly speak. "Thank you."

She smiled at me and nodded, not replying verbally. There was no need. I could feel Edward's relief as he felt the tension within me leave my body and I slumped against him, gasping at the weightlessness I now felt. I had not known it had dragged me down quite as much as it had.

I looked up at Edward as Didyme began speaking again. He was looking down at me, smiling, the relief on his face making my heart clench with a little guilt, which I tried to shake off before he could feel. Just that thought told me how much this experience had caused us to grow and mature along with our connection and I smiled slightly. "I'm sorry," I whispered and he frowned, immediately opening his mouth to say something. I put my finger over his lips, halting the words before he could utter them. "No, please let me say this."

He sighed but nodded reluctantly.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't shake the guilt," I began. "And I am sorry for not listening to you—truly listening to you—when you tried to tell me that it wasn't my fault, and that letting it get to me was affecting our relationship." He opened his mouth to protest again, but I raised an eyebrow and shot him a pleading look. Again, he stopped, sighing and pulling me closer. "I'm sorry for that, and I want you to know—though I am sure you already do because of our connection—that I don't feel that way anymore. While it might get to me sometimes, at least for a while, it's not nearly as bad. Even after the chat with Dad, it seems it lingered within me and I hadn't realized how bad it was until Didyme said what she did. When she said that, and I realized that she had probably struggled with the same problem, I realized that it wasn't my fault and that it was wrong for me to believe it was… it was wrong for me to allow it to get to the stage where I didn't feel like I was me anymore. And I…" I swallowed and looked down, only for Edward to cup my cheek and lift my head back up so I was looking at him again. "I will never let that happen again. I love you so much, Edward. I hate that it almost destroyed everything that we had built together."

His eyes shined with love, happiness, adoration, and understanding. "I love you, too. And there is nothing to forgive, my darling girl. I promise you."

I nodded and sighed, resting my head on his shoulder. I turned back to pay attention to what Didyme was saying once again, and quickly noticed the slight smiles on the Cullens' faces. I sighed quietly and rolled my eyes; they had heard every word and it seemed they'd liked what I'd had to say.

I listened as Didyme explained how she had found me, intrigued. It did sound like what Edward and I had experienced outside and before we'd arrived when it came to what was happening with Marcus and Didyme. And a lot of it was news to my ears, as well, as I had obviously been quite out of it—more so than I'd realized and could even comprehend now, that whole period of time we'd experienced only a few short days ago now a cloud of hazy memories—when she'd quickly explained after I'd finally relinquished my control over Edward's power. It was obviously the first time Edward and the others had heard it, too, as they were quite shocked to hear that it was _me _who had taken Edward's strength. Edward, of course, wasn't as shocked, as I think he had worked it out… or perhaps I had told him sometime over the past few days or when I'd arrived. Again, I couldn't remember, my mind only drifting to other moments that had my cheeks reddening in both pleasure and embarrassment.

"That was you?" Alice gasped, and she, along with the rest of the Cullens, stared at me with new eyes. "You were the reason why Edward suddenly gasped and then fell to the ground? Hell, even his eyes went green. It was as if he'd turned back into a human or something. He was so weak…"

The Cullens groaned.

"What?" I asked, frowning as I looked between them.

"We thought…" Alice started, hesitating as she looked over my head at Edward. His arms tightened around me and I gasped as I felt his worry and discomfort. He growled my growl and rubbed his cheek against mine as Alice continued. "We thought that perhaps we had taken too long in getting you back and he was… failing." She seemed to be treading lightly and my frown deepened as I tried to comprehend what she was saying.

"W…" I started, only for it to suddenly hit me. Pain coursed through me, and Edward and I cried out at the force. "Oh, god, you thought he was _dying_?"

My breathing and heartbeat accelerated and I clutched Edward's arms as he pulled me onto his lap. Didyme ripped her hand from me as Edward turned me on his lap so I was facing him. I looked into his eyes and whimpered, clutching his shoulders then and leaning against him as hard as I could, needing to get closer.

The thought of him dying, even though I knew it wasn't what had happened, nearly killed me. It was so painful to even think of a world where he didn't exist that I gasped and buried my head against his shoulder, my ear to his chest as I listened to the rhythmic sound of his breathing. He growled my growl even louder, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist, one hand running through my hair as he attempted to calm me. As I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to focus on his ministrations and the fact that I was here, right here, in his arms, my breathing started to slow and Edward's growl for me faded into a faint noise that only I could hear.

And then the doorbell rang. I gasped and looked up at Edward then Didyme, as she, too, gasped and grasped at her chest, eyes looking toward the door. Carlisle frowned and looked between us as he and Esme got up and he walked out of the room.

Only a few seconds later, a crazed man bustled in. His dark hair and flowing clothing swirled around him as his head snapped around after an inhale. His eyes met Didyme's and he took her in, disbelieving and relieved; it was as if a great weight had suddenly been lifted from him when he whispered just one word.

"Didyme."

* * *

><p><strong>I know, I'm mean. Ending it there like that! I should be ashamed of myself...<strong>

***Looks around* Nup, not really. *Giggles***

**I felt like telling you the reason behind the chapter title… Basically, it's about Bella's guilt being lifted from her and also Marcus and Didyme's kinda-sorta reunion at the end. Absolution means a release from punishment, obligation or guilt. Didyme and Marcus are being released from their punishment – separation, and Didyme from her obligation to stay away from her mate in order to protect them both.**

**So, yeah… Chandrakanta came up with the title, and I loved it instantly because it related to both core plot points that happen in this chapter. So, thanks Chandra!**

**Also, in other news:**

**I've uploaded the first two chapters of my new story, Misguided Imprint. Here's the summary: **Bella's trapped in a one-sided imprint. Scared for her life, she saves herself by staying in a life she does not want until she runs away. Then she meets mateless vampire Edward, with whom she forms an irrevocable bond. But the Quileutes have a long, unforgiving memory, and the hidden agenda of one party is discovered that threatens to undermine everything Edward & Bella know.

**And I'm now beta-ing for Sparrow86, author of the mating vamp-? (not spoiling anything, sorry ;)) called My Savior. It's really cute - check it out!**

**Aaaand I've ran out of stuff to say. :( So, please review and I'll see you soon with the next chapter!**

**bexie25**


	32. Planning the Future

**Hello everyone!**

**Alright, so something strange happened last chapter and only 15 of you reviewed the last chapter. I'm hoping that doesn't mean the chapter was shit, but instead it was something else... like... well, I dunno. Nevertheless, we reached over 600 reviews, so thank you very much! :)**

**Anyways, here we are a week later with the next chapter. :) After this, there's only the epi to go and then I'll have a month off to plan the sequel. **

**There's not much for me to say about this... only really this:**

**I have, of course, changed a few things from the canon version, but here I will point out one. In this, Marcus says that they were separated since 1550 A.D. In all actuality, and in the original, Didyme died in around 1100 B.C. after they met in 1350 B.C. I felt it was only fair for them to have more time with one another, and therefore changed it.**

**So, yeah... see you down the bottom... **

**Read, review, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>And then he was in front of Didyme, staring down at her in awe, disbelief, love, and need. He took her into his arms and kissed her passionately, but that was all I saw before I looked away, blushing.<p>

I laid my head on Edward's chest, and could feel it as the both of us felt Didyme and Marcus's connections begin to mend, content for them to just be with each other after so long apart. A smile was on my face and I closed my eyes, basking in both that feeling and the feel of my mate's arms wrapped around me.

When I looked towards them again, my smile grew. They had stopped kissing and were now simply holding each other, staring. They sank into each other's arms, melding together 'til there was no way of knowing where one began and the other ended. They whispered and exclaimed phrases in Italian that I, of course, could not understand, though from their tones I knew they were joyous and loving ones.

"They deserve time alone, Edward," I whispered, tearing my eyes from the sweet, tear-worthy reunion, smiling up at my own reason for being. He stared down at me with such emotion that I had to swallow down a lump before I could continue with, "Take me away from here."

"No," Marcus gasped, pulling away from Didyme. They clung to each other, their eyes only for one another even as he spoke. "As much as that is appreciated, _cara_, we do not have time. My brothers are not far behind. They are in Seattle now. There is, of course, the chance that they won't come, but I cannot risk the possibility that they might—especially if they catch the scent of my Didyme." His tone was so desperate, and he hugged his mate tighter to him. I imagined his expression was just as heart-wrenching. "Please," he begged. "We must sit down and discuss things quickly, for there is much to talk about and little time.

"Besides," he said, smiling as he nuzzled his nose against Didyme's, who whimpered and closed her eyes as she sank into his embrace, "there is much time for that later." He murmured so low I almost didn't catch it; it sounded as if he were speaking only to Didyme, so no one commented.

Didyme smiled up at him. "We have all the time in the world, my darling," she whispered softly, her tone one that she obviously reserved only for him: so full of love, happiness, awe, disbelief, and relief. It was hard for her to believe that he was with her after all this time, especially as I am sure some part of her felt she would never see him again, but the happiness and love for him she felt spoke volumes.

They were both just so relieved that their separation was seemingly over. Though as I looked over at Marcus quickly, I knew it was… for he would never let her go again.

I looked to the rest of our family then, and noticed that each mated pair was looking on with matching smiles on their faces. The way they each clung to their mate told me that they were glad they were not in their position and that there was really no reason why they'd have to separate to save their lives. But they were also so happy for the both of them, no one more so than perhaps Carlisle. The smile on my vampire father's face was relieved that his friend had reunited with the mate that he had missed for so long. And though he had not met Didyme when he had stayed with the Volturi in Italy because she was already gone, he was also very happy for her; as were all the Cullens.

"Shall we sit?" Didyme asked softly, her voice making me turn back to look at her. She was more content and relaxed than I had ever seen her and I smiled, nodding.

"Of course," I replied just as softly, settling on Edward's lap so I was facing everyone else once again.

Didyme took Marcus's hand and led him over to where we sat. Marcus followed like a blind man, letting his mate lead him as he continued to simply stare at her in awe and amazement. He was still struggling with really coming to terms that they were together, and I had a feeling that that would last for quite a while.

"What is there you would like to discuss?" Carlisle asked, looking at his friend.

But Marcus, of course, was not looking at him. He held his mate in his arms as she sat on his lap, his hold tight though Didyme did not mind. His eyes were on her as he replied, "There is much to discuss. Starting with why I might feel the need to come here?"

I frowned and looked at him. "You mean… you just felt compelled to come here?"

"Yes," he replied, glancing at me so quickly I had half the mind to think I'd imagined it. "I was in Seattle with my brothers, I caught my Didyme's scent and then I was off. It was as if I were a blind, crazed man. I had no control over my actions, I simply followed her scent."

"Huh," was all I could muster up. "Well, I can only guess that after you smelled her scent you were awoken once again, taken out of the stupor you have apparently been in since Didyme…" I trailed off, unsure how to word what exactly Didyme had done.

"That would explain it," DIdyme replied softly, glancing at me with a smile. "I felt weaker before you arrived. I could not understand why, and it was not that bad, but I did." She looked up at Marcus and sighed. "And of course it was because you had scented me. Of course it was because you had taken back the strength that I had taken from you in order to be able to continue the work that I have been doing."

He looked at her, perplexed and shocked. "That was you?"

"Yes," she replied. "After the haze had lifted from the both of us, I took your strength so that I could help others with the connections that we have. And, of course, to plan what I would do from then on. I had to at least try to make plans; if I did not, I would have lost my mind."

Marcus frowned and held her tighter, his hands stroking the skin of Didyme's sides. "So that is why I have been as I have since?"

She nodded.

"I am sorry, friends," Carlisle interjected, looking between the two of them with a frown on his face. "What am I missing? What have you determined?"

Edward took it upon himself to explain, the thoughts he heard from Didyme and Marcus helping. "Father, remember when I slumped toward the end as Bella took my strength so she could come back to me?" my mate asked softly, and Carlisle nodded. "Didyme is saying that she did the same to Marcus, though for longer periods of time, nearly non-stop. Though it seems that Didyme believes that Marcus's total belief that she was dead is also a factor in why he was in the apathetic state that he has been in since..."

"Since I left," Didyme continued for him, the first of us to manage to describe what she had done. She nodded. "Yes, I have heard that it is harder for mated pairs to move out of the haze of separation when they believe that their mate is dead. His grief and guilt," she continued, raising an eyebrow at Marcus, who sighed and nodded at her, "also played a determining factor."

"Why did you leave, cara?" Marcus asked her softly.

She sighed and turned in his arms, sitting now on his lap sideways. She grasped her mate's face in her hands and looked up into his eyes. "Marcus, I left because Caius and Aro were planning my death." Marcus growled and she hushed him, growling softly to relax him. I realized that she had just used her own mating growl on him and was intrigued, as it was the first time that I had seen and heard one that was not Edward's for myself.

Once Marcus was calm again, Didyme continued, her voice strong and calm, though I could hear the sadness, guilt, and pain behind it. "Aro caught our plans to leave, remember? He was unhappy that we were planning to do so, and decided to plot my death to keep you from leaving. He feared that a couple with our… enhanced connection would give us too much power. So when the signs of our trouble began, I began to plan."

Marcus was quiet when he asked her, "Why did you not tell me?"

Didyme squeezed her eyes shut, leaning her forehead against Marcus's. "Marcus, oh my darling, I hated hurting you and letting you believe I was dead, but if I had told you the truth then our quest for freedom and survival would have been over before it had begun! Surely you can understand?"

Marcus sighed and smiled. "I can.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked, looking between them. I hated to break up their moment, but this was something we had to figure out. "It's obvious that you guys will be in even more danger if you go back to Volterra, but Aro and Caius will know that something is up if you don't. They'll hunt you down. You both are now in more danger than ever before."

Marcus sighed. "What can we do but run? Now that we are together, it is even more dangerous, as you said. But I will not be separated from my Didyme again," he said, standing firm as he looked at his mate who nodded eagerly at him in agreement.

"And I shall not remove myself from your side," she replied softly but steadily, strongly.

"So what more do we have as an option for us than to run and stay in hiding?" Marcus finished, still holding his mate's gaze. "We have a select few in Volterra that we can take with us if we leave immediately to gather them, including Demetri, which will definitely work to our favor. Without him, Aro and Caius will have a much harder time finding us."

Didyme beamed at him, huddling to him in relief that she would not be separated from him and that they may not have such a hard time as they had originally thought.

"We could protect you as well, if needs be," I blurted out, causing everyone to look at me. I flushed. "What? Between my shield and Edward's mind reading, both of which will be shared once I change, and of course there's our ability to sense if you are in trouble, we would be the best candidates. We would know ahead of time if you needed us to keep you safe or hide you. Plus, we owe it to you." I took Didyme's hand, smiling at her. "Without you, Jacob would have gotten to me and done God knows what before I could make it home. You brought me back to my mate, Didyme, and for that I am forever grateful and in your debt."

"As am I," Edward continued for me, his arms tightening around me as he sensed my overwhelmed emotions. He was just as overwhelmed. "You brought my mate back to me unharmed. To protect the both of you would be an honor and the least we could do."

Didyme looked between the two of us, unsure, as did Marcus for a moment before returning his attention and eyes back to his mate. She sighed when she saw how utterly determined we were and nodded. "Alright. But only if we need your protection."

I smiled. "We will feel it if you do."

She sighed but nodded, smiling slightly.

Alice gasped then and our heads all snapped around to look at her. It was obvious that she was having a vision and when she came out of it only moments later, she looked directly and Marcus and Didyme. "You need to leave now if you want to return to Volterra with enough time to round everything and every_one _you need. Everyone you say is your ally will follow and protect you."

Marcus frowned at her. "You have visions of the future?"

Alice sighed. "Yes, I do."

Marcus looked at Jasper, who held his mate and looked at Marcus, concerned, wary and warning. "You must not let Aro learn of her gift, of any of your gifts."

We all nodded.

Didyme got up, Marcus immediately following. I stood up, as did Edward, and hugged Didyme. "Goodbye and thank you," I whispered in her ear as she softly hugged me back.

She leaned back and kissed my forehead before smiling at me. "Goodbye, my dear… and I believe _I _should be thanking _you_," she replied, raising an eyebrow as her eyes darted pointedly at Marcus, who was but a meter away from her and bidding farewell to Carlisle and Esme.

I blushed. "We couldn't let you run away from him anymore," I replied defensively but also calmly. "You needed to be with him; you both were unable to take it if you were apart for any longer."

"How right you are, cara," Marcus replied. "I believe nearly 500 years is enough."

I gasped. "When did you leave?" I asked Didyme.

She smiled sadly and dismally. "The year was 1550."

I exhaled shakily, shaking my head. "I knew it was a long time, but I did not have any idea just _how_ long. My god, you really wouldn't have lasted without each other much longer!"

Didyme and Marcus smiled at me sadly and nodded, wordlessly agreeing with me. Didyme hugged Edward as Marcus sent my mate and I nods and thank you's before they said farewell to the rest of the family.

"Remember," I said as we walked them to the door. I reached it and hesitated for a moment before Edward took over and opened it for them. "If you are in any trouble, we will know and protect you."

They nodded and thanked us once more before they were suddenly gone.

Edward drew me into his arms and sighed, and I knew he could hear and see them. I turned in his arms and rested my hands flat against his chest, leaning up on my tippy-toes to kiss him softly. He purred against my lips and I moaned softly, sliding my hands up to his hair. We panted as we broke apart and I smiled up at him, perfectly content and relaxed for the first time since before our separation.

"I love you," I whispered. "God, Edward, I love you so much

My mate smiled that crooked smile of his, the purr vibrating in his chest growing louder and even more pronounced. "I love you, t-"

He stopped midsentence, his eyes becoming unfocused as Alice simultaneously cried out. I looked up at Edward's face, panic welling within me as he bared his teeth and growled deeply, his arms tightening around me.

"Edward?" I whispered urgently.

He flinched and looked down at me. "The wolves," he growled, barely containing himself. "The wolves are coming for us. They were planning to stage an ambush. They found Jacob's body a few days ago and have been planning ever since, watching us to determine the best time."

He hissed then, his hold on me tightening even further, and I took his face into my hands and leaned up on my tippy-toes once more. "Edward, calm down and take me back into the living room. We need to speak with everyone about this before they get here. We need a plan."

He growled something low under his breath, but did as I asked, lifting me in his arms and running back to the living room. We were standing in the living room closest to the back door area, so I presumed that was the direction they were coming from. My back was against my Edward's front and I could feel more than hear every growl he let loose. I tried to soothe him as I ran my fingertips lazily over the skin on his hands which rested against my abdomen as he held me against him.

"Will they let us speak, son?" Carlisle asked, his arms wound tightly around Esme, both of them with equally worried looks on their faces. I listened as Edward replied, but looked at the others; Emmett was excited, ready and keen for a fight, while Rose had a grimace on her face, obviously disgruntled about their scents. Alice was in Jasper's arms, a very worried and annoyed look on her face as she rested her head against Jasper's chest. Jasper was growling what I immediately identified was his mating growl for Alice and he was edgy as he tried to calm his mate. Alice looked like she was in a little pain, and I remembered that the wolves gave her headaches because they blocked her visions.

"They are of two minds," Edward replied gruffly, and I rubbed circles harder on his hands. "They all want us dead for Jacob's death, but Sam knows that there must be a reason behind our actions. He is the most wiling to hear us out before attacking, which seems to be working in our favor." He paused. "He has just given the order not to attack until he says for them to."

Edward perked up then, gasping before he chuckled darkly. "The tribal leaders and Billy are coming along as well. Billy insisted. He knows why Jacob is dead, but is unwilling to hear us out anyway and he will not speak to the others."

I took a deep breath as a pang of guilt hit me before anger took its place. As much as I hated the fact that we had taken his son from him, I was furious with Billy. I turned in Edward's arms slightly to look up at him. "Are you saying that he knew exactly what happened? About Tanya and my mother's involvement as well? He knew everything that they had planned?"

Edward looked down at me, sighed, and then nodded. "Yes, my precious mate, he did. He felt it was in your best interest for you and I to be separated. As much as he hated that Jacob had bargained with another vampire, one so close to our family at that, he still very much believed—and he still does—that he was right in allowing it. He felt that if Jacob saved you and took you away from us then he would be able to take whatever spell we had put over you off. He thought he was saving you."

He was sneering towards the end and I stayed silent, fuming inside, my blood boiling from the heat of my anger. Edward sensed it and cupped my cheek, bringing my face up to look at him and I bit my lip as he looked at me, smirking.

"How close are they, Edward?" Rosalie asked, her grimace sharpening with Edward's reply.

"They are now a mile out," he replied, his hold on me strengthening as he stiffened again and growled ferociously.

"What?" I asked him, frowning in concern. There was not much that could anger my Edward to this degree; I already had an idea of what was the matter. The fuckwits most likely thought something unsavory about me.

"Billy believes that not only should he kill the rest of our family and me," he started and I shuddered, barely controlling myself at the thought. Edward rubbed my back. "But that they should punish you as well, for your involvement. If it weren't for you, his son wouldn't have provoked us and would not be dead now."

I kept silent, looking down, and in that Edward found his answer on how I felt about that.

He growled. "Isabella, tell me you do not believe that they are right." I stayed looking down and silent until Edward sighed roughly and quickly made me look at him again. I bit my lip as it quivered and my breath hitched. When Edward spoke again, his voice was soft, gentle, sweet even. "Oh, my sweet girl," he whispered, pulling me closer to him, his hands resting on my ass. "You don't honestly believe that, do you?"

My breath stuttered as I breathed in and a half-strangled sound erupted from my throat. For Edward, that was it, and he pulled me closer to him, his hands on my ass, pulling me up and wrapping my legs around his waist. My face was now level with his and he leaned his forehead against mine.

"Isabella," my Edward breathed, "you are not to blame for Jacob's actions, nor are you responsible for his death. He did that of his own volition; it was his choice, my darling. And I killed him out of a mate's right to avenge the pain and torment that he put us both through when he separated us. Sweetheart, I want you to listen to me, ok?" He didn't give me an opportunity to say no as he did not pause for me to answer. "I love you. You are my mate, and Jacob Black was not of sound mind. Whatever Billy Black or the tribal elders or the pack say, remember that, my darling. Please."

I sniffled and nodded my head, closing my eyes and swallowing down the lump in my throat. "Ok," I whispered, tears spilling down my cheeks as Edward hushed me and kissed them away. "Ok, I'll try, I promise, Edward."

He purred and rubbed his cheek against mine, brushing his lips up my temple to my forehead and down the other side of my face to my lips, which he kissed thoroughly. "Good," he whispered against my lips when he ended the kiss to let me breathe.

He shuffled me a little before letting me down easily. His loving and eased expression slipped from his face and he straightened his back, squared his shoulders, and looked at Carlisle. "They're here," he said flatly, and he grabbed me up in his arms.

Within the blink of an eye, all of the Cullens, Edward, and I had moved to the back entrance of the house. When Edward put me down and I spun in his arms to face the forest, my eyes immediately landed on the pack as they surrounded the elders, Billy in the middle.

The elders were angry, as I could tell from their expressions, the wolves all with their mouths hanging open, jaws loose, and teeth bared. They stood in a sort of fight stance, as if they were ready to pounce within a moment's notice.

"Sam," Edward began, "please, let us talk about this. I know that you found Jacob's body, and the pack is wondering why he is dead. Let me give you those answers."

Billy practically growled as he threw his stubby finger up to point at Edward, glaring. "You have no right to ask for time, bloodsucker! You took my son from me; you all will die as punishment. The treaty is broken."

Edward growled ferociously, and I frowned, rubbing his arm and pecking his bicep, which twitched under my mouth as his muscles tensed and coiled. "Your son broke the treaty as soon as he took my mate from me through Isabella's mother and held her against her will in Phoenix. The woman vampire, Tanya that you remember… she has also paid for her part in this. Your son was the main plotter, the aggressor who brought the option to her, not the other way around. For that reason, your son was perhaps more responsible and worthy of death than she."

Edward paused before he sneered. "Of course I killed her; she threatened my mate! It does not matter if she and I were of the same species!" he hissed, his arms tightening around me and I kissed his arm again, my hands clutching his as they rested on my abdomen and I drew patterns on them to calm him down.

Edward looked at Billy again, breathing in deeply as he relaxed because of my actions. I smiled to myself as he spoke, his tone calmer and clearer. "There is law, Billy. There is law that is more important and reverent than any treaty created with anyone in the world. It is above treaties, including ours with you. It is the law of mates." Edward spoke firmly and confidently and I found myself listening intently, riveted to hear every word. His voice resounded through the trees, making him sound so powerful that everyone just had to stand there and listen. There was nothing else you could do. "And that law states that whatever threat is made against a mate is punishable by death." He looked directly at Billy then. "Billy, your son was the first to break the treaty, meaning that I didn't just have the power to kill your son, but the rest of your tribe as well. However, I did not; I took the life of those responsible and that was that."

"What of Isabella's mother?" Harry asked. "What will you do with her?"

"We haven't decided yet," I replied for Edward, standing straighter as everyone turned to look at me. "But she won't be getting away with what she did. She went along with everything Jacob Black and Tanya Denali wanted simply for money. Not only that, but she has been abusive to me my whole life. Many a time I ended up in hospital with a serious injury that she was the blame for. She will get what is coming to her in due course."

"Besides," Rosalie continued for me, her voice sneering, "Renée Dwyer is not within your jurisdiction. She does not even reside in this state. We will take care of her, pups—without your input. You just practice keeping your snouts to yourselves."

I giggled and smirked. "Nice," I snickered and we shared a fist bump as the rest of our family, bar Carlisle and Esme, laughed.

There was silence on the other side. As I turned back to look at them, I saw it all: the contemplative looks, the defeat, the anger, and lastly, the pain.

They knew we were right, and they knew they could do nothing about it.

Billy wheeled forward, his wheelchair snapping twigs under the wheels and rocking as he moved forward. Edward growled and tightened his arms around me, his teeth bared and lips pulled back in a snarl.

"No," Edward roared.

"Please," Billy pleaded, tears welling in his eyes and spilling down his cheeks. "Please!"

"No," Edward shouted again.

"What?" I whispered up to Edward. "What is he asking for?"

Edward ignored me but Billy did not. He turned back to me, hope in his eyes. I was wary instantly.

"Bella, please," Billy cried.

"What?" I shouted. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Death," he cried and I froze.

"W-what?" I breathed incredulously before I blew up in his face. "You coward; you're asking me to kill you? No! No, I will not do it."

"Please, Isabella," Billy pleaded again, unrelenting. "It is the nicer thing to do, the lesser of two evils. I cannot live without my wife _and _my son." He was begging again, crying shamelessly.

I looked at him with disgust, shaking my head. "What about Rachel and Rebecca, huh? What about them? They need you now, Billy; you are not the only one to have lost a family member. They've lost their brother."

Billy stopped and looked at me for a moment. A smile lit his face dimly, briefly, and he sighed as he relented. He slumped in his chair and as soon as it was obvious that he had admitted defeat, Harry bounded forward and gripped the back of the wheelchair, pulling him back in line.

"We would like to discuss one more thing with you now as well," Edward said as Harry began to turn Billy around and load him onto Paul's back. They turned back and paused, waiting expectantly and tiredly, wary and weary.

"What?" Old Quil asked.

"We would like to discuss the treaty with you, or rather, just one main point," Edward continued, resting his chin on my head. As he spoke, his chin moved but I rested back into his arms, sighing and relaxing. "We feel that it is only fair that, all things considered, we reinstate the treaty." The Quileutes started but they were very relieved as they waited for the rest. "We have a condition."

"We are listening, Cullen," Harry replied slowly, staring at my Edward.

"We want the option of changing Bella, and possibly her father as well," Edward replied loud and clear. "Though of that last one, we cannot be sure as Charlie has not given us an answer. We do believe that he wanted to stay with us and move on with us as we leave Forks after graduation, but we are unsure of what the future holds. What we are asking in particular for him is that if his life threatened, we have the option of changing him if he and my mate so desire without the risk of backlash from the pack." My Edward paused briefly. "We ask this out of respect more than because we must. We may still go through with it in the end if you say no. You must beware of that."

Billy said nothing. He was obviously drained but he sighed after several minutes of silence and stillness from both sides. My heart pounded in my chest and when Billy slouched again in defeat, tears welled in my eyes and my breath hitched. He was going to give us permission.

"Fine, fine," he said faintly. "Do whatever you please."

"Thank you," I whispered, making Harry stop as the elders moved to other pack members and began to climb onto their backs. "Thank you so much," I whispered thickly, wiping tears from my cheeks and eyes.

Billy nodded, smiled faintly, and the pack retreated, their elders now on their backs and the wheelchair secure on some sort of device they used to pull it behind one of the smaller ones.

"Billy plans on visiting his daughters," Edward whispered in my ear as the rest of our family walked back into the house. Edward and I made no move, as we would most likely be heading straight back to our cottage anyway. "He wants to ask them to consider letting him stay for an extended time with them."

I smiled, wrapping Edward's arms tighter around me. "I'm sure they'd love that," I replied softly before I turned in Edward's arms and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm happy for him. But I am concerned that if we leave with my father and do not come back, he will miss him. I don't want to be the reason he misses his friend."

Edward smiled softly and kissed me on the lips. "So selfless, my sweet Bella… so caring."

I smiled and kissed him on the lips this time, just chastely. "I love you. Take me home, Mister."

He smiled crookedly down at me. "As you wish."

And he pulled me into his arms and ran through the trees, our laughter bouncing off the woods.

We were free from trouble and restrictions… finally.

All was restored to as it was previously.

Now all I could do was focus on my future with Edward and our family.

* * *

><p><strong>Just thought I'd let you know that chapters 1-12 (or, by chapter name, chapters 'Soulmate' through to 'For the Rest of My Life') have now been beta-ing and reuploaded. The original ANs are the same except for a note telling you in specifics what is being changed.<strong>

**:)**

**So, yeah... hopefully that wasn't too bad and we'll get a few more reviews this time. ;) Can't wait to hear/read what you all think!**

**Thanks very much and see you in about a week or so for the epilogue!**

**Please review**

**bexie25**


	33. Epilogue

**Hello everyone**

**So, the reason for the wait was because I wanted my beta to have the chance to finish betaing the rest of the chapters and send them to me beforehand so I could tell you when I uploaded this that the PDF is complete and ready for anyone who wants it. But more on that below...**

**All chapters of A Choice have now been beta'd and replaced to make this story the best it can be. :) **

**I'll save thank you's and shit for down the bottom... I hope you like this...**

**Read. Review. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

**Eight months later…**

* * *

><p>Time passed faster than I had thought it would, faster than it ever had before.<p>

The first few months had been hard, and would have been a lot harder if I hadn't had Edward and the rest of our family. After that night, we had all worried about Marcus and Didyme, and when news flowed through the vampire grapevine that not only had Marcus left the Volturi but he'd taken half the guard with him, including some of their stronger gifted vampires, there was speculation to the nth degree.

That was particularly due to the fact that our coven was closest to the area that Marcus had last been spotted in by his brothers.

Edward had been a mess, his protectiveness reaching all-new heights. He was constantly by my side, constantly touching me, and he was terribly difficult to calm down. He was forever on edge and, for the longest time, so was I. I could not help it; with my mate never relaxed, it was hard for me to feel so.

But as that went away, and the prospect of taking action against Renée won over, so did Edward's more rational and calm demeanor. Finally, we seemed to calm down and be able to manage all that our life and relationship was throwing at us.

The one thing I knew was that I would be forever grateful for the connections that Jasper had. Not only was J. Jenks the best man for the job as he asked no questions and was a damn good lawyer, but he was able to speed up the process significantly. The whole situation was taken care of in a little over two months.

Renée was in jail, never able to harm me or anyone else ever again.

I still could not quite grasp that total feeling of security. It was just so difficult, especially when I remembered the moment the jury and judge called for a ruling in our favor, not only giving her twenty years in prison for kidnapping, assault, and etcetera, but also making sure she had no way of coming into contact with me again.

I still didn't really understand the logistics of that part particularly, but Edward and Jasper, along with Jenks, had assured me that there was no way I would see her ever again.

That was all I needed to know.

What was perhaps the most frightful thing to think of was the fact that I was finally truly and completely happy. Though not everything had been set in place or order for my forever with Edward yet, the wheels were in motion and I was beginning to see the transition from my old life to my new.

Perhaps the best part being that my father had made his decision.

He was coming with us, and would most likely be changed as well at some point in time.

We weren't leaving Forks yet, and would not be leaving until I was changed, which wouldn't be happening quite yet. There were still a few things that had to occur before that could happen.

However, the way things were going, it was still planned for us to be leaving some time at the end of the year, just after or around the first Christmas I would spend with Edward and our family.

We were lying low though, considering the fact that the rest of the town thinks we have gone to college. That was to our advantage, though: total seclusion was just what relatively newly-mated vampires required.

Of course, they generally received it from the time they mated 'til… well, about ten years after.

On that note, the rest of the year, school wise, was virtually event-free. Rumors had circulated around the school about Edward's and my extended absence, but we blew them off. No one had been given an explanation, bar those who needed to be informed in the admin and teaching staff. It had also worked to our favor as well, considering the fact that Edward and I were now not allowed to be separated at any time and were given extra leeway that we would otherwise not have been granted.

"Bella," Edward whispered, bringing me from my thoughts. His tone made me smile; he was frustrated, wondering what I had been thinking about so hard.

I turned around and walked toward him, bringing his hands, which hung limply at his side, around my waist. Leaning up on my tippy-toes, I kissed him once on the lips then whispered, "Sorry, baby. I was just thinking about how far we've come."

He purred, his left hand moving from my waist to my face. His fingers skimmed the skin of my arm and I hummed softly. "Hmm… you've been thinking about that a lot."

I smiled and leaned my head against his chest. "Because it feels unbelievable," I whispered. "We're so happy, Edward."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked me softly, his hand cupping my jaw and dragging it up to make me look him in the eye.

I swallowed. "I don't know," I told him slowly, frowning slightly. "I mean, I guess I just keep thinking that it has to end somehow… sometime. Doesn't it?"

Edward smiled and pressed his lips to mine. "No," he whispered, his breath fanning across my face. "No, it doesn't." He kissed me passionately for a few more minutes, only stopping when I had to breathe. "Now, since you are up so early and it is not yet dawn, I was thinking…"

"Hmm?" I hummed softly, slowly wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Come watch the sunrise with me?" He tightened his arms around me. "It promises to be relatively spectacular."

"Relatively?" I asked, arching an eyebrow at him, a little smile on my face. I knew his answer.

"Well, compared to the exquisite form in front of me…" he breathed, leaning down again and letting his lips wander over my skin. I moaned and clenched my fingers in his hair, pulling him in for more, but he pulled back. "Darling, if we're going to watch that sunrise, we must leave now."

I pouted, making Edward growl and kiss me once more, but excitement and anticipation had already seeped into my being so I relented. "Okay… let's go."

He pulled me up into his arms and ran us to a spot he must have picked out. It was a short run, shorter than even the run to the main house, and I looked up at him as he put me down carefully.

He smiled. "I found it when we first moved here… it's quiet, away from everything, and it has a perfect view."

"Why haven't you brought me here before now?" I asked softly as he pulled me with him as he fell to the ground.

He shrugged, pulling me against him as we faced the darkened sky. The sun was just peeking through the tops of the trees now but even then, in my excitement, I couldn't take my eyes off the view in front of me. "I never really thought about it. I do not come here often. But Alice told me that, since we are leaving soon, I should bring you here; that you would enjoy it, particularly for the sunrise. And when I heard you waking up while I showered, I thought now would be the perfect opportunity."

I smiled and hummed, letting my fingers wander over the skin of his arms as they squeezed tighter around my midsection. "Well, I appreciate the sentiment," I said, turning to look up at him.

He purred and rubbed his cheek against mine. He kissed my temple, his lips lingering for a moment before he pulled away and straightened his back. "Turn around, my sweet love; it's starting."

But I didn't. I took a peek, turning my head just a little, but the whole time I kept my eyes on Edward. He would smile and chuckle, leaning down to kiss me a few times, but as soon as the rising sun hit him, I gasped. I forgot about the sunrise—watching it seemed insignificant now anyhow—and watched him instead.

God, he was just too beautiful. And he was mine; we were really going to be together forever.

Edward turned his head again, and his eyes locked with mine. He understood immediately how I was feeling, my eyes welling in awe as I stared at him. I blinked the tears back and they streamed down my face.

"I love you," Edward whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.

It took me a moment before I could respond. "I love you, too," I finally replied, my voice as hoarse as his.

No other words were said, and as I looked into Edward's eyes, watching him in all his beautiful, crystalized glory, I could not help but smile to myself.

I really had made the right choice in the end.

And it was the best one I'd ever made.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, there will be a sequel. I have started mapping it out already (kinda), so I'm thinking a month or two before the first chapter posts. I want to have all chapters completely mapped outplanned and the first few written already before I even think about posting. **

**I want to thank everyone who has read, rec'd, reviewed, alerted, favourited - all that shit - for me the past nearly-two-years. This story was one of the first I ever started and never in my DREAMS did I ever imagine that it would fast become my most reviewed full-length multi-chapter non-drabble story! This journey has been incredible and I have all of you to thank for that.**

**A special shout out to Chandrakanta, who came late in the mix. Although she wasn't here for the whole time, she _still _managed to beta every chapter for me and get them back in a very timely fashion considering how long they are. I must thank you for everything you have done, Chandra, and I hope you are reading this ;) If not... well, I'm posting this in the A Choice FB group anyway (which you all can find the link to on my profile).**

**As for the PDF, if you want a copy, please email me at: bexie dot fanfiction at hotmail dot com or leave your email in a review/PM in the same fashion that I have left mine. If you don't do that, I can't see it and I can't send you a PDF. **

**Thank you all for loving this story, and for loving A Choiceward and A Choicebella. We shall see you in the up-and-coming sequel in a few months... I hope you all join us then! (I will of course post here when the first chapter is posted!)**

**Thank you and goodbye for now...**

**Please review**

**bexie25**


	34. AN - Nomination

**Hi!**

**A Choice has been nominated for Top Ten Fics of the Month! I reallly want to win this one so please make sure you vote every day at the same time - once every 24 hours!**

**Twifanfictionrecs dot com/2013/09/02/vote-for-your-top-ten-completed-fic s-august-2013/**

**Thanks**

**Please please please vote!**

**bexie25**


	35. AN - Result

**Hi all A Choice readers!**

**Thanks for voting for this story, and showing it love! Because of your efforts, it made it to number seven on the list. Special shout-out to whoever nominated… :D**

**Thanks**

**bex**

**P.S. The next post I make for this story will be to let you know that A Choice's sequel - named Our Choice - has begun posting. I suspect that will be within the next month or so.**


	36. Notice for Sequel

**Hey guys!**

**Just wanted to let you know that the first chapter of A Choice's sequel, OUR CHOICE, is up!**

**Here's the summary: As their bond continues to grow and deepen, Edward & Bella find that not everything can be left in the past. Still getting over the repercussions of Bella's kidnapping, the two are ready to get on with their forever, though waiting for the other shoe to drop. Little do they know, there is more than one surprise in store for them, & this time it's their choices together that matter.**

**I really hope you guys join me for this, because I personally think this one is going to be even BETTER!**

**Thanks,**

**bexie25**


End file.
